Hikari No Will Power
by Kazie Solo
Summary: After the androids, life goes on for Mirai Trunks - the complicated way. He must deal with his mother's death, a crazed politician, a rogue demi-saiyajin, a short-tempered oracle, an obnoxious assassin, and an alien force desiring universal domination.
1. Phone Call

**Hikari No Will Power**

_Act One, Prelude  
_**Death Lurks In The Shadows! A Phone Call Signals A New Evil!**

  
The phone rang.

A barely audible groan escaped Trunks Briefs-Vegeta's lips as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. He had done it again; he had fallen asleep while he was supposed to be on duty. It was understandable, though, for the young Chief Executive Officer of the newly re-established Capsule Corporation had been working non-stop for the past days, hoping to bury the excruciating pain of the heart that had been haunting him and keeping him in darkness ever since the silent death of his mother.

The method was effective for the first few days, and the evidence was the re-establishment of his family's company at such a fast pace. The once-grand alcazar of the Briefs family, which made them a distinguished clan all over the world, appeared as good as new in no time, with a fresh yet promising workforce consisting of people who had both the potential and skill for the positions they were assigned into.

Capsule Corporation was back, in all of its grandeur, and the credit for its glorious resurrection going to the only heir to the Briefs' fame and fortune --- and the very same valiant young man who brought peace back to the world at his extermination of the havoc-wrecking androids. However, as days passed, the caffeine-heavy nights and _workathons_ began to take their toll on the 20-year-old, as his body grew as weak as the soul that was trapped within. And if he would not be careful, if he would not take care of himself as he was supposed to do, he would fall when he had just risen.

Trunks staggered towards the telephone, which, unfortunately, was on the desk at the far end of the room --- the desk reserved for the fortunate young woman who would become his wife _and_ the assistant CEO of the company. A frown swept his pale yet handsome features as he struggled to get to his destination, for the movements that had always been a second nature to him were now gawky and awkward. To add to his frustration, his secretary was apparently not on her desk as the phone continued to ring, when all calls were supposed to go through her first for screening.

Finally, he arrived at the other desk and quickly picked up the receiver, yet as he did so, it slipped out of his grasp which he knew was firm enough, and crashed to the floor. Bending down to pick it up, he growled a curse --- whether it was heard at the other end of the line, he did not know _and_ he did not care --- as he was, once again, in one of his newly-developed mood swings.

"Trunks Briefs-Vegeta. Yes?" he asked with narrowed azure orbs, the tone of his voice that of fraudulent courtesy.

A voice did not greet him in reply, rather, it was the sound of buzzing static. Thinking that the other merely did not hear his rather weak salutation, he repeated the question, with a louder and clearer articulation this time. However, the same thing happened, which greatly annoyed the young man who was snapped out of his siesta, and the notion of yelling at the prank caller _Vegeta-style_ was appealing at that moment. But he, too, knew that it would only ruin his reputation in a way and possibly create an advantage of sorts for his rivals in the business field, so he decided that a little scolding --- yet sternly done --- would do the trick.

"You don't seem to know the trouble you're causing me at the moment," he began coolly, reaching for the built-in caller ID button, "I am a very busy man, and people like me do not want their time wasted by people like you. If you have anything to say, then spit it out before I have you hunted down and arrested. If you don't have anything to say, then just put the phone down and never bother me ever again."

He glanced at the caller ID screen as he waited for the other to reply, half-wondering what took the program too long to work, for the tiny screen on the telephone still remained blank. He was about to push the button again when he froze, a chill running down his spine. The voice that sprung to his ears right then and there was deep, inert and apathetic, yet it was that lifelessness which gave the virulent and menacing impression of the caller. **_"You got it all wrong, Briefs-Vegeta. I am the hunter, you are the hunted. I am the predator, you are the prey. Run away while you still have time on your side, but don't expect too much from it --- for it is a futile, time-consuming move in the long run. You can run, but you can't hide. I will find you. And when I find you, I will kill you."_**

"And who are you?"

The other chuckled in amusement, yet the tone of the his voice remained the same. **_"Young one, you should know by now that my name is not important. What matters most is the situation you are facing at the moment, the dilemna you have in your hands. I suggest you leave your current location and go somewhere secluded before I exterminate everyone else who will stand up for you --- and cause you more guilt. If you want to know what I am capable of doing, open the door and you will see it for yourself."_**

Trunks did not understand what exactly was going on, what exactly his _predator_ wanted with him, and why the other was after him in the first place, but he certainly did not like the threats he was hearing from the sinister voice at the other end of the line. And he, too, did not like having to deal with wordplay --- not when the words came from someone he didn't know and most especially didn't trust. "It's too early for you to be on a scaring spree; Halloween isn't in a few months. Why don't you run along now and scare those who are just sitting around and sipping coffee instead of someone who has a hectic schedule like me? I need to get back to my work, which is more important than talking to someone like you who apparently has no life."

Before the caller could counter, the demi-saiyajin hung up.

"Stupid prank callers," he muttered with gritted teeth as he walked out of his office to talk to his secretary, Naru Shinjita, who was supposed to screen all the incoming phone calls for the CEO and yet failed to stop one which wasted a part of his valuable time. Before he pulled the door open --- the door which led to the room of his secretary and the lower officers --- he took a deep breath to push the fragments of his bad mood away, so as not to accidentally raise his voice at the woman who had been working so hard to please him.

"Naru, I need to talk---"

Utter shock in a heaviest intensity possible was painted on Trunks' features as he looked at what lay before him with his ice-blue eyes --- which flickered from cerulean to emerald and back at that very moment --- and his hand clamped into a fist at his side. He was shaking noticeably, static cackling lightly around his body... and _fear_ could be traced in his eyes, squinting through the corners of his beautiful orbs and amidst the curtains of shock that were originally there.

Naru was sprawled on the floor, lifeless with empty, void-like eyes. Her skin withered like dead leaves, and it appeared as if she was only made of skin and brittle bones. But she was not the only one. The rest of the employees of Capsule Corporation who were in the room suffered the same fate, and that was when it hit the CEO like a slap on his face.

_I suggest you leave your current location and go somewhere secluded before I exterminate everyone else who will stand up for you --- and cause you more guilt. If you want to know what I am capable of doing, open the door and you will see it for yourself._

It wasn't a joke. It wasn't a prank. It wasn't some sort of jape or quip. It was real. The caller wasn't fooling around. Everything he said was for real. His warnings were genuine. His plans were unfeigned. He was sincere with his threat that he would hunt down Trunks Briefs-Vegeta, the last of the Briefs and the last of Chikyuu-sei's Z-Senshi... and _kill_ him.

But whether he was after the Briefs' wealth or the world, Trunks didn't know for sure.


	2. Darkness

**Hikari No Will Power**

_Act One, Chapter One  
_**Overwhelming Darkness Crawls Ever So Slowly! Run, Trunks, Run!**

  
_"Ah, the Most High. Very well, then. Come with me, I will present to you our champion," a tall, muscular man clad in jet-black robes said in an extremely inert tone, his face concealed within a mask which, too, portrayed not a single emotion. His hands were clasped behind him --- a common military stance, yes --- in his usual, calm manner as he led the visitor through a dark and narrow tunnel of a military base of sorts._

_When they stepped back into the light, the newcomer saw a vast area which appeared to be some kind of stadium, and a platform at the middle --- an arena, he concluded. The robed man led him down, past the ramps, past the bleachers, past the warm-up area, until they arrived at a table which was situated near a huge, metallic door with an electronic lock. An elderly woman around 60 years of age sat by the table, her eyes focused on an electronic data pad that was just beside her cup of hot coffee._

_Upon hearing footsteps, she slowly looked up and pushed her thick glasses closer to her face, raising an eyebrow skeptically as she did so. "The matches aren't in a few hours," she uttered before she picked up the cup of coffee and took a sip, her eyebrow still arched up at a dangerous edge. "And weren't we given orders prohibiting the presence of those not from our league?"_

_"The Most High sent him," the muscular man replied, waving his hand casually to indicate the other. Then, he took out a data card from the folds of his robe and handed it to the woman. "His records are impressive, I must say. And the Most High was also very impressed with his performance as well, which is the reason why he was sent here and given all the privileges on this first mission of his."_

_She didn't look too struck as she browsed through the stranger's file. "Young man, you want to take our champion in your mission to enslave the Chikyuujins? If you are truly as great as you are said to be, you will be able to make Chikyuu spin at the palm of your hand without trouble, considering how weak and pathetic those humans are. But there is nothing I can do but obey the Most High," she blurted out with a sigh, giving in as she had no choice. Putting the data pad away, she took the communicator fastened to the belt of her robe and relayed her order._

_The robed man's glowing golden eyes rested upon their guest, who did not look anywhere near muscular, but was one of the Most High's deadliest disciples as he was known as their faction's best strategist. Given the best workforce, it would be possible for the young man to enslave every planet in the galaxy, something which had not been accomplished ever since --- not by the saiyajins, who had been the most powerful and lethal band of warriors in the cosmos, nor by the tyrant who managed to keep them in bondage, the Ice-jin Freeza. "Kanryu," he began, ignoring the buzzing of static from the woman's communicator, which continued to cackle at their ongoing conversation. "You must be careful in handling our champion. Ten-Thirteen is our deadliest warrior yet."_

_"He will obey me, do not worry."_

_A thin smile appeared on the robed man's lips. "Ten-Thirteen had been a rebel, through all these years. A warrior nobody could stop, nobody could defeat, because of the tremendous power she possessed... and _gained_. She had been thrown into every battle possible, beaten up to near-death at each of those battles, and yet she emerged stronger after every single one, which was---"_

_"_She?_" Kanryu asked, interrupting the other's narration as surprise played on his somber features. "Your champion, Ten-Thirteen --- is a _woman?_"_

_He was met with aureate eyes that showed a hint of amusement at the corners. "Not a woman, Kanryu. A _girl_. You see, Ten-Thirteen is only seven years old," he paused, doing so in purpose to stare at the other and observe the change in his expression. And as expected, Kanryu let out a gasp, a gasp transparent enough that the old woman who was supposed to be talking to one of her other superiors muted the communicator to look at the visitor and laughed in her own amused way. "Do not worry, Kanryu," the robed man continued, patting the younger one assuringly on the shoulder. "You were not the first to show such surprise. On my first day here, three years ago, I also exhibited the same reaction when they presented to me a four-year-old who looked like a ragged doll --- and told me that she was the best of the best."_

_Awe remained on Kanryu's face as he asked, "How could anyone... become _that_ powerful... in so short a time?"_

_"I asked the same thing," the old woman pitched in as she put her communicator and data pad aside, "when Ten-Thirteen won her first championship match in our quarterly tournament when she was only three years old. Nobody had the answer, though. That compelled me to know more about her past and her origins --- her race included --- but there was only two things I found out about her. One, she was dumped here in the academy to grow up and then be beaten up to death by the other warriors, as she was some sort of outcast from some planet in the Outer Rim that I haven't heard of. Two, she's definitely a Chikyuujin, although I don't think the test I conducted was accurate since I had to do that investigation in a hurry, without the others knowing."_

_The newcomer knitted his brows as a thought struck him, but he knew that he could not simply jump into conclusions. He had to know more about the mysterious girl that would soon be his servant, his _champion_. "Do you remember the name of the planet she was said to be from? I'm from the Outer Rim, and I certainly have contacts there. I'm sure they will be able to help us solve the riddle behind that girl, and her past, too."_

_"Something called... _Kuru'rodai_. I think."_

_Kanryu's eyes flew wide open at that, his crystalline olive eyes expressing the apparent recognition of the planet that was just mentioned. "_Kuzure'odai_," he whispered, out of breath all of a sudden, memories surging through him along with an emotion he could not seem to comprehend. Upon noticing that the others gazes were on him, he growled, "Get the girl."_

_When they did not budge, he repeated the order, though fiercer in that second time. "Get the girl!"_

_The woman grabbed her communicator almost immediately, shaking lightly as she did so, apparently taken aback by the young man's urgent and seemingly murderous tone. She snapped a follow-up of her previous order, which took quite too long to carry out to her surprise, her eyes flickering constantly to Kanryu to check if his patience was still intact._

_A few seconds later, the bulky metallic door opened, and two of the academy's guards stepped out of the room concealed within and out of the darkness. They, too, were wearing robes similar to that of the other two entertaining the guest, a small handblaster strapped to each of their belts. And like the robed man with Kanryu, their faces were hidden beneath a mask that looked as lifeless as a corpse._

_And behind them stood a little girl._

_Kanryu started to tremble as he examined the girl's every feature: long and wild sable hair tied in a low ponytail, sharp and ice-cold cobalt eyes, slightly tanned skin, a somewhat disdainful smile, and a dignified stance that came with the smile which relayed the message that she was the strongest of all the warriors in the academy, the champion of the champions, the best of the best. He quivered not because he was afraid of her --- if he indeed was, he did not show it --- but because anger filled him to the brim upon recognizing the one who stood before him._

_He screamed, fire sputtering from within him as his rage went out of control..._

"Master, are you alright?"

His gaze, which flustered with all sorts of emotions --- anger, most especially --- was met with a concerned one from the same girl who caused him to erupt in such rage. He saw the same eyes, the same hair, the same stance, the same smile... but she was ten years older, and was now his most trusted servant. "Yes, dear. I'm fine. I just had a nightmare, that's all."

"In the middle of the afternoon?" she inquired, her voice dropping to that of a teasing tone.

A smile crossed Kanryu's lips as he got up from his chair and moved towards the window to gaze at the solemn afternoon sky thoughtfully. Then, he turned around to look at the 17-year-old and chuckled. "I suppose the person who introduced that word to the English language --- or Basic, as we call it universally --- did not put into consideration that bad dreams can strike anytime, even when the sun is directly above us."

"Is there anything else you need from me, my lord?"

"Nothing more at the moment," he replied, and upon saying those words, the warrior stepped back and disappeared into one of the room's four corners, as she was dismissed. Kanryu smiled; she had always been watching over him, watching over him from the shadows, yet her presence at such a close range had never been intimidating.

It had been ten years ever since he took in Ten-Thirteen, ten years ever since he was given his first assignment, ten years ever since he started his mission to enslave the inhabitants of Earth, and those ten years were too much for the members of the Most High's faction. They had grown impatient. They had grown tired of waiting. They had grown tired of Kanryu's antics. 

But Kanryu did his job, and he did it well --- they just failed to see the fruit of his decade-long labor. He planted the seeds when he first came to Earth, and now, the roots have penetrated into the soil at such a depth that it would be impossible to uproot them.

He glanced at Ten-Thirteen, who was slumped against the wall at the far end of the room, hidden beneath the cloak of darkness, ever-ready to be called upon when needed. Kanryu could not help but smile at the simplicity of his right-hand's lifestyle. The warrior obeyed his every order without question, and executed each mission without hesitation.

They were the perfect tandem. He was a genius, and nobody in his league would deny that fact. Ten-Thirteen, on the other hand, was the best --- and the deadliest --- of the Most High's warriors, the champion of the champions. Kanryu had the wits, Ten-Thirteen had the power. The facts were simple and undeniable.

And with that, he knew they will _never_ lose.

The police officer who was interrogating the CEO of Capsule Corporation --- the only survivor in the _attack_ at the establishment's upper office --- was an elderly man in his late 30's, with neatly combed auburn hair and somewhat intimidating black eyes. His lack of interest was apparent, but he continued to listen to the young man as he had no choice in the situation. "A death threat, huh? Sure, kid. I've heard that one before," he said lazily as he slumped back into his comfortable reclining chair.

Trunks' eyebrow was then raised at a dangerous edge. "You don't believe me?"

The older man took a folder from one of the filing cabinets and pulled out a long piece of paper before he turned back to look at the demi-saiyajin. "You said that the person who you believe is behind all this called you up, and you gave us the time when the call happened and what telephone was used," he began, his expression evidently nonchalant. "Our technicians found no match. This paper contains all the calls --- outgoing and incoming --- made on that specific phone, and you can see that the call you told us about is nowhere to be found here."

"That's because the caller ID system screwed up at that specific call!" the lavender-haired young man replied with gritted teeth.

"I see. But isn't that too much of a coincedence?" he asked with a sneer, and he held out his hand before the other could interrupt. "I know, you're going to tell me that someone tampered with the system before the call, from the outside, so it would not be stated in the log. The question is, is that kind of thing _possible_, with the kind of gadgets your company manufactures? The gadgets by Capsule Corporation are all wired in such complicated ways that it would be impossible to break through the codes and tamper with their programming... and you know that."

Briefs-Vegeta bit his lip. He knew where the police officer was going, and he reminded himself not to fall for something as shallow as the sport he was being pulled into. They wanted to play with words, didn't they? Fine. They wanted to play cute? Fine. He can handle wordplay, even if he hated those games. And he can handle cute. "Nothing is perfect, sir, and you know that. We are not gods but mere mortals, and we have faults of our own. And it follows that our creations are not perfect. They have flaws and digital gaps of their own that can be used for outside manipulation."

"But nobody knows those _flaws_ and _digital gaps_ except those who are working for you --- and your yourself, Mr. Briefs-Vegeta," the officer countered, his raven eyes narrowing significantly. "Unlikely, you may say, but very logical."

"What are you trying to imply?!" Trunks snapped angrily as he slammed his fists on the table. "That _I_ killed my own employees?!"

"Your words, not mine."

This time, the young man stood up, the anger glistening in his vibrant sapphire eyes as clear as day. "Damnit! This is a conspiracy! You think I'm not aware of it, but I am, very much, thank you! You set me up! You, and whoever you're working with! Bulma Briefs-Vegeta dies, leaving only a single heir who manages to rebuild Capsule Corporation in record time, and because the company is in full bloom, you and whoever you're working with --- a fellow businessman, I'm damn sure of that --- want to take over it and be filthy rich. But because that heir is getting in the way from you and whoever you're working with to get a hold of the Briefs' fortune, you plot something to get him out of the picture! You and whoever you're working with then have someone murder the employees of Capsule Corporation, put the blame on the CEO's shoulders so he will be sent to prison and then you can seize those riches without trouble! That's not so hard to figure out!"

"Excellent deduction... although it is completely outside the limits of sanity. Your ideas are just so out of this world, I wonder if you're from outer space yourself," the older man taunted as he got up to meet the other's angry gaze. "I'm sorry to tell you this, Mr. Briefs-Vegeta, but there's nothing you can do about it. All the evidences put you in the middle of the photograph."

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR DAMNED EVIDENCES!" Trunks bellowed as he grabbed the officer by the collar of his uniform and lifted the older man up in the air, shaking him threateningly. "Clear out my name, or else---"

He smirked. "Or else _what?_ You're going to kill me? A wonderful threat, sir, but that will only make the charges on you heavier. First off, there are other policemen here, so if you will kill me, you'll have to kill them as well to avoid the news from leaking out. But you can't stop the truth. It will escape even the grasps of the lord of the underworld and set itself free to bring justice to those who deserved it yet were deprived of it."

"A man who speaks of justice yet denies it from those who deserve it should be denied of it as well! Walk your talk, for crying out loud!" the demi-saiyajin exclaimed in an utterly frustrated tone. "You're supposed to be a servant of justice, and yet here you are, a component in a conspiracy that is nowhere near the boundaries of justice!"

"You're a great philosopher," the officer commented mockingly, still ignoring his current predicament as if he had something up on his sleeve --- something which will prevent tragedy from falling on him when the young CEO would go berserk. "But I will not be twisted by your words. I have seen the evidences, and _you_ are the one at fault. Yes, Mr. Briefs-Vegeta. You are under arrest for the murder of 13 Capsule Corporation employees, and for the meantime the prison will be your home, until your trial comes and you are sentenced accordingly. Don't expect too much, though, for death is the definitely punishment for such a crime. Just pray that our Prime Minister --- whether our current one will be retained or a new one will be sworn into office --- will change the law and have you imprisoned for life instead." His smile twisted into a more cruel one. "But that, is unlikely." 

Trunks swallowed upon feeling the other police officers enter the room and surround him --- and there were more of them outside the police department, armed and ready to shoot him if he would do anything drastic. The demi-saiyajin knew that he had no way out. Not without a fight, and not without hurting the innocent.

Which left him only one choice.

To _run_ for it.


	3. Tragedy

**Hikari No Will Power**

_Act One, Chapter Two_**  
****One Tragedy Falls After The Other! Never Despair, Saiyajin!**

  
A soft chuckle escaped the officer's lips as he met Briefs-Vegeta's orbs with his mischief-filled green ones. "You have no way out, I'm afraid, sir. I suggest you surrender peacefully before we use force on you. You DON'T want to know what we're capable of doing; we're the best of the best Japan has to offer in the entire police network."

_Bite me,_ the demi-saiyajin thought to himself grimly._ Surrender? No way. That word doesn't happen to be in my vocabulary, and I don't intend to add it as an entry either. But it looks like I only have one option left. Forgive me, Otousan, I know this isn't your idea of being a saiyajin --- and being the son of the Ouji, at that --- but I don't have a choice!_

Briefs-Vegeta sighed heavily, then put the man down and raised both his arms. "I surrender."

"Very good, sir. I'm glad that you did not let your anger overrule your common sense. Many people who have pursued that path failed miserably, and---" the officer's cool and casual tone was replaced by a terrified yell as the lavender-haired CEO of Capsule Corporation hurled a low-energy blast towards him --- missing him on purpose, of course.

One ki-blast came after the other, although the young man wasn't aiming it to hurt them, as that was what he was trying to avoid. He was merely creating a distraction, a distraction that would provide him an opportunity to escape, and so far, it was working. 

"J-Jinzouningen!" a low-rank policeman screamed in utter panic before he scrambled out of the building --- and it gave Trunks an idea. Putting the most Vegeta-like smile he could muster, he transformed into super saiyajin, and it was enough to plunge the sword of fear through the hearts of those who surrounded him.

Then the shooting started, as the officer who interrogated him earlier barked at the others to take down the _golden-haired android rip-off_ at whatever means possible. Their move was futile, though, for the demi-saiyajin merely caught the bullets with his hand effortlessly. "You were mistaken to mess with me," he began in the most lethal tone he ever dared to use, "although you might live, _if_ I let you."

His lips parted into a smirk that mirrored the classic one his father in the other timeline used to wear, and crossing his arms in front of his chest in an authoritative manner, he waited for their reaction. He had the gut feeling, though, that they would end up apologizing, which was the point of the whole show, for after their _I'm so sorry_ speech he would be able to walk away as if he thought of _sparing_ their lives than blasting their pitiful souls to the next dimension.

And then, he would start clearing his name.

Two men in onyx-colored masks were dragged towards Kanryu's office by one of his other muscular bodyguards. They struggled to break free, but they were too weak compared to the majority of Kanryu's men --- after all, the ambitious man wanted to have the best fighting force, a team that no one will be able to defeat.

His ace? The cold and heartless Ten-Thirteen.

"Lord Kanryu," the robe-clad bodyguard began in a low-key voice, dumping the men violently to the floor in front of his master with a smile depicting his silent satisfaction at seeing them marred. "Spies of Fuiuchi Zakihiro."

The look on Kanryu's face was that of anger and annoyance, and he didn't bother to hide it when the two intruders were presented to him. "He really has no idea of what the word_ fair play_ means," he growled before he turned towards Ten-Thirteen who was sitting casually by Kanryu's table. "Silence them."

"S-sir..." one of the two spooks stuttered as he stood up and backed away from the older man, his fear evident despite of the mask he wore. He continued to move back in fear, until his back was on the cold, concrete wall. "T-that's not t-true! We're not sp-spies of Z-zakihiro---"

Ten-Thirteen put aside the folder she was holding, stood up and advanced towards the two intruders, who were practically scared to near-death at the sight of her sinister and glacier-like blue eyes. In a mocking tone, she asked, "Really? What did you come here for, then? To hang around and check out the sights?"

"S-sir... please l-listen..."

"It's useless to deny it, gentlemen. You're guilty; I can see it in your eyes." She then started pacing back and forth in front of the trespassers, her hands clasped behind her back --- the same gesture she learned from the _academy_ right from the beginning of her training in the deadly arts. "Let's see... Zakihiro sent you here to uncover a secret or two here in our base so that he may be able to transform that into an issue to use against his greatest rival... and therefore _disqualify_ him. A very dirty move, I must say. Dirty and reduntant, and an age-old tactic. He should just accept the fact that he is losing the game, and that our master will be the new Prime Minister of Japan by sundown, to avoid putting him in trouble. In _more_ trouble, rather."

Her master leaned back on his reclining chair, lacing his fingers together as he watched, a smirk replacing his serious expression. Ten-Thirteen had always wanted to play things _nice and slow_, just as what she was doing at the moment, and she had all the right to. He gave out the order, yes, but he did not tell her _how_ it was to be done.

It was then when the female assassin snickered, pulling out of her standby stance and holding up her palm, as if she wanted to let the two men see what was lined on it. "Now, gentlemen, how do you want your deaths to be? Do you want it to be as quick as lightning, without feeling anything? Do you want it to be moderate enough to feel pain tickling your ribs? Or do you want it to be slow and... _excruciating?_" she questioned before her smile turned even more cruel. "Do you want to die by my hand, or by my blade? Or by a wave of energy that will tear burn your skin, melt your bones and turn your body to dust?"

"P-please d-don't k-kill u-us! W-we b-beg of y-you!"

Ten-thirteen shook her head ruefully, although the expression of sorrow that played on her pale yet striking features was a fraudulent one. "I'm sorry, gentlemen, but that is something I cannot fulfill. I am but the executioner of this court; not the judge nor the jury. My task is to give the appropriate punishment for those who falter and fall, as they must pay the price. And _you_, are two of those unfortunate ones." She raised her hand, charging up a ball of energy, the fiendish smile back on her features --- before she looked down at those she was supposed to smite and whispered in the same lethal tone, "Sleep well."

"Shimatta," Trunks cursed with gritted teeth as he hammered monstrously on his laptop, as he was back in his office in Capsule Corporation. He managed to walk --- rather, _fly_ --- away from the police station as if he was compassionate enough to let the frightened policemen live, but trouble was not over at that point. 

It had just begun.

Gunfire chased him as the officials continued their vain attempt to take him down, but he was too fast for them. However, they were not giving up, as they rounded up their forces all over the country right after his escape to capture him once and for all. Heck, some of the troops were already by Capsule Corporation, setting up all their equipment in case they would have to take drastic measures.

The young man slammed his fists on the table, nearly breaking it into two. His eyes were shut tight as he ran a quick calming exercise, although his anger continued to radiate from his muscular form, evident in the slight cackling of static around his body. But he _had_ a reason to be mad, as his life that was practically a living hell was made even worse at the sudden turn of events.

He looked at the screen of his laptop one last time before he picked it up and threw it towards the wall angrily, his saiyajin strength rendering its immediate destruction. When he came in his office and saw that all the money he had kept was gone, he took it lightly at the thought that someone just came in and stole them when the chaos begun. But his empty safe, closed bank accounts and lost company shares --- _lost_ in the sense that it was now owned by someone else --- informed him of his current financial situation.

He was bankrupt.

He had no family left --- his father was killed long ago by the blasted androids, his sensei was sent to his grave the very same way years later, and his mother died of a mysterious disease that had been killing her slowly from the inside. He managed to keep himself together despite her death, which was the most painful of all, and instead, he busied himself by re-establishing his family's honor and glory, Capsule Corporation. When he was near the peak of his mountain, he was framed up, and now he was a fugitive, wanted by the government for a crime he did not commit. He was broke, and he knew that without his _wealth_, it would be impossible for him to keep his company under his ownership. Either it will fall to the hands of some other businessman, or it will be torn apart by those who had been struggling to bring him and the Briefs' legacy down.

_What do I have left?! _Trunks thought furiously, hot tears cascading past his ashen cheeks, which fell drop by drop on his hands that were pressed hard against the half-destroyed office table. _What do I have left in this damned world?! What have I done to live in this hell?! What have I done wrong to be punished like this?!_

He paused to push back his tears, open his eyes and pick up the picture frame which fell to the floor, where he saw the smiling faces of himself and his mother. He ran his fingers over the portrait gingerly, the drops of liquid back in his eyes, and then, he flung it towards the wall forcefully with a wail. "Hope... Hope... Hope..." he muttered, reassuring himself, when he shook his head vigorously. "What hope?! There's no hope left! Not in this vortex of hell, anyway!"

That was when Trunks' legs weakened and gave way, as his body lost its strength just as his heart and soul had. He dropped on his knees, despair painted in the gorgeous azure windows of his handsome face, and cried. He thought of the possibility that his father in the Afterlife was disowning him at the moment for showing such helplessness, but he didn't care anymore. He lost everything he ever had except his life, and he craved for nothing more than its polar opposite at the very moment.

He wanted to die.

"I am very grateful to those of you who gave me this wonderful opportunity to make a difference in your lives... and for those of you who had doubt in your hearts, I shall prove to you that my victory isn't a curse but rather, a blessing. Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen, and do not forget the promise I made... and the promise I will _fulfill_. This nation will be great again."

Thunderous applause and defeaning cheers reached the ears of the newly-sworn Prime Minister Hyouko Kaname, causing him to smile in utter satisfaction as he walked down from the platform and hurried out of the Capitol's Grand Hall. He was flanked almost immediately by four armed males --- bodyguards, obviously --- and two young women. To his right, her arm hooked into his, was his most loyal employee and _secretary_, Kasumi Valkyrie, and walking beside him on the left was his daughter, Yumi.

Despite her father's victory in the elections, Yumi did not look happy. She continued to scowl, ignoring the cameras that were capturing images of her and her family, and neglecting everyone in general. Her eyes darted uneasily towards the other woman with her father, the one she hated with passion --- although she never showed how much she despised Kasumi in public.

Even before reaching the entrance, she told her father that she did not want to ride with him, and that she would take the other vehicle. Reluctantly, Hyouko agreed, although it annoyed Yumi that things did not change, for as soon as she turned around to mount the other car, Japan's new Prime Minister sweetly stepped away from the path he was blocking and ushered his secretary inside their limousine.

"Where do you wish to go, Lady Yumi?" the chauffeur asked politely as she slammed the door shut in ire. "Master Hyouko told me to take you where you want to go, and assist you in any way possible."

"Home," Yumi answered, leaning back and closing her eyes to calm herself down, when her verdant orbs snapped open, an idea striking her. She bent her body slightly forward in an angle to peer right into the rear view mirror and said, "No... bring me to my apartment instead... you know, the one near the boundary of West Capitol and Satan City?"

He nodded. "Your will shall be done, my lady," he blurted out as he turned the car around and headed the other way, towards West Capitol. All of a sudden, uncertainty leaked in his calm and too-cool features. "But are you sure you want to go there, Lady Yumi? Along with the news of Master Hyouko's victory in the elections came the word that the Chief Executive Officer of Capsule Corporation --- a certain Trunks Briefs-Vegeta --- who murdered 13 of his own employees yesterday escaped from the authorities. I do not want to bring you into an unsafe haven, my lady."

Kaname smiled, an assuring one at that. "Don't worry, Jin. I appreciate your concern, really, but I'll be fine." She paused for a moment before she asked, "So... what do you think about Kasumi?"

"I do not know what you want to hear from me, my lady," Jin answered courteously. "Do you want to know whether I like Mistress Kasumi or not? Or do you want to hear my opinion about her and Master Hyouko?"

She bit her lip. So it was now _Mistress Kasumi_, huh? "Are they really..." she began, but then shook her head, settling for a more direct question. "Is she going to be my stepmother, Jin? I mean, I'm sure you've been with them a couple of times the past days, and I thought that you might know a thing or two..."

The chauffeur shrugged slightly at that, and then, he told her what he had picked up the past few days. "Forgive me for gossiping, my lady... I do not mean harm with my words, but only to satisfy you with the information you want, from what I managed to gather. One of the housemaids found a receipt in Master Hyouko's room for... well... a ring. She suggested that it must be for you, but with the way your father and Mistress Kasumi have been going out together, I doubt it." He paused upon seeing the change in her expression. "Yes, Lady Yumi. Your father has changed her title from _Lady_ to _Mistress_, so I suppose she will be your new mother very soon."

The expression of Yumi's face was indescribable, and then, disgust shone through. "I don't understand... what is Dad thinking?! Kasumi is only seventeen for crying out loud, and she's a year _younger_ than me! If she wants to give me another mother, he should at least pick a decent one, not just some _slut_ for a secretary!"

Jin Tetsei chose not to comment on the young woman's statement, even though he wanted to; he continued to drive his master's daughter towards her apartment. 18-year-old Yumi Kaname, on the other hand, rolled her eyes as she slumped back against the car's cushioned seat. 

_What has this world come to?! _she thought angrily, as she hadn't actually been happy with her life. She was rich, famous and idolized, yes... but she wasn't happy. There was something keeping her euphoria locked up somewhere where she could not reach it, even though she vainly tried to do so. _What do I have left in this damned world?! Useless paper bills, a gazillion servants, a father who doesn't care and the sluttish secretary of his who will soon be my new mother?! What have I done to live in this hell?! What have I done wrong to be punished like this?!_

She closed her eyes. Sometimes --- and one of those times was now --- she wanted to die.


	4. Desperation

**Hikari No Will Power**

_Act One, Chapter Three_**  
****Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures! Know When To Walk Away And Know When To Run!**

  
"My lord, he escaped."

Kanryu's lime-colored eyes narrowed into slits at his right-hand's report, but he forced the irritation away and smiled crookedly as he pushed his bifocals closer to look at the screen of Ten-Thirteen's laptop. "Ah..." he whispered as Trunks' transformation into his super saiyajin state danced on the monitor. "I should have asked someone else to deal with him, instead of Gashakura. That brat's a slimy one, you know."

"Nothing I can't handle," she replied in an ever-so-sure tone before she pressed a couple more keys in some particular sequence. A few moments later, the photoplay-covered screen was replaced by a grid of criss-crossing lines, and a tiny neon green dot was blinking steadily on the western corner against the Cimmerian background. "He's at Capsule Corporation; and if he was a normal human, he probably went back to snag a couple of bills and flee the country or something. But the thing is... he isn't _completely_ human. So he probably went back to try to find a clue or two, and perhaps help himself with enough money to do what he wants to."

"Unfortunately, he won't find any. Not a single zenny left in his account --- in _any_ of his accounts, for that matter --- and he's going to discover that he no longer owns the enterprise after Moriya bought majority of the shares, outdoing the percentage left under his ownership..." the man's voice trailed off before the corners of his mouth gave way to a smile that was a mixture of bitterness and maliciousness. "... _if_ he still has a slice of it left."

Glassy azure eyes met his green ones. "Shall I deal with him, my lord?"

"That will not be necessary. I will be sending Kutori's crew to put an end to that waif once and for all." He then waved his hand to silence her, as she opened her mouth to interrupt and voice out her doubts. "If they fail, then the brat will be all yours to deal with. You have succeeded when everyone else failed, and that's precisely the reason why I won't send you out until I feel the need to. Besides, we have more pressing matters to attend to. At the moment, I am confident in Kutori's skills, as well as that of his crew, thus he will go play the game with the boy. You will remain here, by my side, until further notice. Understood?"

"Yes, my lord," Ten-Thirteen replied with a curt nod before she shut down her laptop. After putting the computer on one of the limousine's secret compartments, she turned to her master and smiled. "I will be keeping an eye on him, though. Daichi might lose in that game he will be playing, and I might have to take his place in the hunt. I have to know where to look, if that is going to be the case. We can't afford to take any more chances when that time comes, can we?"

The sharp look on the other's eyes that seemed to be present all the time faded into that of admiration and pride. "That is what I like of you. You are always one step ahead of the situation. You are flexible and ready for anything," he said. Then, he dug his hand into the pocket of his jet-black trousers and pulled out a small, velvet box. Opening it, he looked deep into her eyes, attempting to break the solid barrier she shielded them with, and whispered, "Nothing would make a ruler happier than to have a queen. A queen to rule by his side. My dear, I would like you to accept this... and my offer to be the _queen_ of _my_ empire."

The ring was the best and most expensive one she had ever seen, and she was certain Kanryu spent a fortune to purchase that one just for her. She found the idea awkward, however. Tempting, with all the wealth and power she would be able to wield once she would be in that such position, but awkward. She hated the idea of being a mother, so much the idea of being the mother of an 18-year-old spoiled brat. "What would Yumi say, though?" she asked, not wanting to make it obvious that she did not like the offer one bit. "You know that she has this intense dislike for me... well, that would even be an understatement."

He reached out for her, tilting her chin so he would be staring down at her. "You managed to live with it."

A wry smile formed on her pale features after those words were uttered, but she immediately hid it underneath her always-nonchalant facade as she thought of the consequences of her answer, whatever it will be. At the moment, they didn't look too good, and she had to stop herself from grimacing at the thought. Putting the sweetest smile she could muster to match her teasing expression, she countered with a giggle, "I'll think about it."

The expression on Trunks' handsome features was a grim one as he prepared to leave the area. It was useless to hang out in Capsule Corporation, not when dozens of police officers were outside waiting to close on him and then crush him. It was even surprising for the young man that they had not stormed in the complex yet when they were more than ready to do some damage. He knew he had to leave immediately, but he didn't know where to go. He had no family left, not one by blood, anyway---

He blinked.

Before he could fly out of the window pane and escape, the door of his office slammed open and a man only a few years older than him barged in as if he owned the place. He was tall --- a foot taller than the demi-saiyajin, give or take a few inches --- with neatly gelled auburn hair and blue eyes that always seemed to twinkle mischievously. He wore a crisp suit that made him look superior and utterly dignified, and a thin gold plate attached to his overcoat had the name _Iori Moriya_ etched on it.

"Moriya," Trunks immediately identified, not even glancing at the insignia. He had seen the other young man a handful of times enough to implant the scrawny-boned face in his memory bank, and the other's intimidating eyes were enough for confirmation.

Iori smiled --- a warm yet fraudulent one --- at his rival, before he stepped aside and motioned to the door which remained half-open. "Briefs-Vegeta," he muttered in response before the smile turned evidently into a smirk. "We're _good_ friends, you know that, but I'm afraid I have to ask you to leave. This isn't your office now; it's _mine_."

"You're kidding."

"Now, now, Trunks... stop going into denial. You know I'm not joking, as I'm not the humor-inclined kind of man. I'm utterly serious about this matter. Capsule Corporation now belongs to me, as I now own the greater percentage of the shares. Didn't you check the reports? The transfer was made a while back... oh, forgive me, I forgot that you were under arrest when that happened," he sneered before took out his cellphone. "I should call the police now. It is disgusting to see a criminal in _my_ office, especially when he's standing in front of me---"

Briefs-Vegeta growled incoherently.

"---with this expression on his face which makes me feel like I'm going to be the next victim of the lethal virus he developed."

The word _virus_ caused the demi-saiyajin's enraged expression to soften a bit, as confusion was added into the mix. He did not remember working on viruses or anything close to those midgets, and here was Moriya, practically accusing him of murdering the employees of Capsule Corporation with a microbiological entity. So _that_ was the story, then. The story that escaped the police station and was spreading all over Japan --- and even to the rest of the world --- like wildfire. 

And he did not like it at all. 

The scowl that was already on his handsome features deepened, and he snarled, "Stop acting as if I don't know what's going on, Moriya! You think I don't know what's up?! The police are just outside, and they sent you up here to force me into _walking out_ of this place and end up back at their hands without trouble! And if you won't be able to convince me to do so, you'll call them up and have them barge in here with their fancy weapons and all!" He then glared at the other, and Iori could feel the anger that continued to build up inside of the former CEO of the corporation. "Think you're brilliant, Moriya? You may want to think again. I'm doing neither."

With a yell heavily strained with anger, he powered up with a force that was enough to send Iori flying towards the concrete wall. Flames danced within his sharp, cerulean eyes, and without a word, he ripped off the window pane and flew off towards the east.

_Prying Eyes_ was a television program that delivered news and all the rumors that accompanied it. There were two reporters, who were obviously fond of gossiping, from the tone of their voices and the way they projected the _news_; the stubby man on his late 30's by the name of Takiko Muruku and the ditzy Ritzuki Tsukino, a blonde-haired young woman who talked in a high-pitched, prissy voice.

_After holding up as Prime Minister of Japan for three consecutive terms, Fuiuchi Zakihiro has finally gone down --- and everyone's happy. I suppose it was his heroicly stupid antics during the androids' reign of terror that plummeted his popularity rating to nearly... nothing. I mean, where was he during those times when we needed him? Locked up in his room, tongue-tied and his tail between his legs! Heck, he must have had wet pants during the entire robotic regime!_

Yumi looked up from the book she was reading, her eyes narrowing significantly as Muruku's voice exploded as if he was commentating a game in the World Cup. She had never been a fan of the show, but all the other channels were apparently showing sleep-inducing soap operas that bored her to death, so she decided to have _Prying Eyes_ up just to have a little noise in her apartment. She wasn't the kind who was used to silence, especially of the deafening kind.

She was about to resume reading when Tsukino's annoying voice boomed for a statement of agreement, and the more she could not take her eyes off the screen when the female reporter mentioned her father's name. _I'd have to agree, very much, and I presume that is exactly the reason why Hyouko Kaname won without having to exert much effort during the campaign period._

_But how effective would Kaname be as our Prime Minister? True, he has a sweet-smelling political record that no one could seem to match, but sources tell us that he has dark secrets hidden underneath those intelligent-looking green eyes and his cool front, in general. For one, the quiet yet charming Yumi is rumored to be his daughter with a prostitute; and second, his secretary Kasumi Valkyrie --- who's a total babe, oh yes! --- is said to be the woman he would be marrying!_

The unbelievably thick hardbound book Yumi was reading snapped shut upon hearing the reporter's words. Her eyes flew wide in furious disbelief, and then, she yelled, "MY MOTHER'S NOT A PROSTITUTE!" even though she knew it would not change anything. Her hands were then clamped into fists. _How dare they?!_

_Talking about issues and noted personalities, today's second biggest issue is the escape of Trunks Briefs-Vegeta, former CEO of Capsule Corporation. He is believed to be the one responsible for the death of 13 employees of the said company, thanks to the lethal virus he developed. The head of Capitol's stronghold, Officer Gashakura, did not mention anything about him recently, though._

_A virus, eh? That's a pretty neat method of killing people, and I must say he really has the brains! Now that we're talking about the purple-haired hunk of burning love..._ Tsukino blurted out in a love-sick tone oozing with drama before she burst into a fit of giggles, _... I wouldn't mind if he would be the one who would take me away from this wretched world and to the world after this one. I mean, if he'd be after me, I'd pretty much lure him to come and kill me! That would be the best thing ever! Come and get me, huuuuuuuunnnnny!_

A hint of recognition crossed Yumi's furious features, which softened them a bit, as a picture of the demi-saiyajin flashed on the television screen. She blinked, then said softly, "Wait a minute... He's the one... The one who defeated the androids, and who I saw in my vision!" Then, she shook her head, picking up the remote control and turning the thing off. "They just don't know how much we owe that young man. Those reporters have such horrible manners..."

She put the remote and the book aside as she stood up to get herself something to drink. The place had gone extremely quiet by then, and she didn't like it one bit. She felt the urge to go back to the living room and turn on the radio, full blast, but quenching her thirst was her first priority at that time. After helping herself to an ice-cold glass of water, she smiled, as if she had forgotten all the horrible things she heard over the news. "Water has just got to be the best drink ever," she told herself as she put the glass down. "And most probably Mother Nature's masterpiece."

Yumi giggled, and then she trudged back to the living room to resume reading. She took the route near the radio to switch it on before she propped back into the couch, took the book she had been reading a while back, and continued at where she left off, reading out loud, which she did not often do. "_Parvati was gazing at Hermione in unflattering disbelief. She wasn't the only one either; when the doors to the Great Hall opened, Krum's fan club from the library stalked past, throwing Hermione looks of deepest loathing. Pansy Parkinson gaped at her as she walked by with Malfoy, and even he didn't seem to be able to find an insult to throw at her. Ron, however, walked right past Hermione without_---"

**_Blue._**

**_He limped, taking small, body-straining steps. One, two, three... he fell, his half-open eyes the color of faded sapphire-blue silk. He forced himself to rise, despite of his severe injuries, his cerulean orbs which appeared like cracked glass darting around, desperate to get help. Behind him, the sun had begun to crawl from the depths of the horizon, the sky becoming a carpet of light blue._**

**_White._**

**_Blood drained from his insides, his face was then as white as sheet --- so pale, in fact, that the blue curtains of his features stood out despite of their near-white hue. The rising sun's rays fell on him, illuminating the young man in a bright aura that made him appear like a fallen angel. Too radiant to look at, too fragile to touch, bruised and scarred yet still too beautiful and seemingly beyond perfection._**

**_Red._**

**_Pools of sickening crimson liquid formed at every step, at every fall. The same substance flowed uncontrollably out of every cut, staining almost every body part, including his pale, pretty face, and its dark color clashed magnificently against his bright form that it was frightening. In his eyes fire blazed, yet it appeared locked up and stranded amidst a barrier of ice that its power could not be used._**

**_Black._**

**_Despite the rise of the burning ball of fire at the horizon, darkness began to take an abstract form, like mist in a chilly morning. It crept towards the heavily wounded young man, who was struggling to hang on at what he had left and get help. His speed, however, was hopeless. In no time, the darkness caught up with him, and the whitish aura that surrounded his frail form faded away as death itself advanced..._**

Then the vision ended, after all four colors danced in front of the young woman's eyes in a ritual-like manner. When everything faded away, Yumi looked down to find the pages of her book drenched in sweat, which greatly surprised her. _The vision could not have lasted for more than a few seconds, it's impossible for me to sweat this much at such a short span of time, enough to drench a page or two of a book..._ she thought, but it immediately flew away as something else hit her hard.

The vision.

Yumi Kaname did a run-through on her vision --- she had the ability to _memorize_ it at one glance --- and she paled evidently upon watching the sequence of events unfold the second time before her very eyes. Sweat began to once again trickle from her trembling hands, soaking her book even more. And she had the reason to feel that way, for the message it brought was as clear as day.

Someone was going to die.

Her hand trembled as she held a slender knife against her wrist, and tears were streaming down from her beautiful onyx orbs. She saw no reason to remain alive as her loved ones were sent to the Afterlife so many years back --- her husband by a virus, her son by the androids. She never got the courage to do what she was about to do, but after getting haunted by nightmares even during the day, she decided that it was for the best.

Chichi Son squeezed her eyes shut as she channeled her energy towards her hand, praying that she would get past the hardest part of the situation as swiftly as possible. Then, she opened her eyes, looked at the blade that bore her reflection...

... and threw it away before falling on both knees and bursting into tears. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have done that, I shouldn't have even _tried_..." Chichi sobbed, before she looked up at the ceiling and let out an anguished wail. "Goku! Gohan! Why?! Why did you have to leave me like this?! How could you leave me like this?! Why do I have to go through this life alone?! Why can't I be with you like everyone else?! This life isn't worth living anymore, it's definitely not worth---"

"CHICHI-SAN! I NEED YOUR HELP!"


	5. Deception

**Hikari No Will Power**

_Act One, Chapter Four_**  
****Gentle Front, Cruel Intentions! Open Your Eyes, Do Not Be Deceived!**

  
"I don't know what to do now, Chichi-san," Trunks whimpered in a voice barely above a whisper as he buried his pale face in his hands. His eyes were brimming with tears that he hesitated to shed, and it was his pride that was keeping him from doing so, most probably. "Everything happened so fast, it's... overwhelming. One minute I was filled with joy like no other, having exterminated the androids and Cell... and in no time, everything came tumbling down just when I fixed it up. I thought change would things for the better --- my life, most especially --- but at Okaasan's death, my life was turned upside-down. Now I'm at the losing end... at the losing end with no means of escaping."

She looked at him with raven eyes filled with sympathy, although the same intensity of sadness and hurt could be traced in those eyes. "Trunks... I know everything has been hard. Not only for you, but for me as well. But I don't think killing yourself would be a good idea. I..." she began with a hint of hesitation, but in no time she found herself holding up the knife that lay unnoticed on the table when the young man came in. "... I tried to kill myself earlier, yes, as despair and hopelessness sunk into me, and drove me to a sudden, suicidal state. But just when I was about to make that one move that would put this suffering to an end, I saw my reflection on the blade, and I realized that... I'm still alive because there's a reason that I must stay that way."

"I don't see any reason for me to stay alive," he countered bitterly.

"I didn't see the reason why either, but I knew, at that moment, that there was one behind it all. Well... I didn't see it until you came running in, asking for my help, and that was when it washed over me. _You_ are the reason why I must stay alive. Because I have to help _you_," Chichi finished quietly, her eyes still on the young man. "Killing yourself may seem the quickest way out of the dilemna you're in, but... it's not the best thing to do. I've been to the brink of it, and I will never attempt to do it again. You see, it's not only a form of cowardice, it's a form of degrading yourself. I mean... can you face your father in the Afterlife when you died because you killed yourself?"

"No."

It was a good idea to play around with the demi-saiyajin's pride for the time being, as it was the only way Chichi could think of to make him change his mind about suicide. "You're a saiyajin. You're the son of Vegeta, the late Prince of the saiyajins. Would you stoop so low just to get happiness? Are you certain it will be a happy life after this one? And are you just going to give up when you've come this far?"

"What should I do, then?!" Trunks asked in a strained, bewildered tone, lifting his distressed sapphire eyes towards his sensei's mother --- _pleading_, in a way. He felt so helpless, so useless, and Chichi's little game of logic was only causing his emotions to swell unexplicably inside of him.

"... I don't know what _exactly_ you should do..." she began, shaking her head. "But I'm sure that you will find a way. You made it past the androids when no one else couldn't --- surely this will be a piece of cake. I have full confidence in you, Trunks. And I am willing to help you in any way possible. You are welcome to stay here until you decide to leave and go back to Capsule Corporation. I will be more than happy to help you out." She smiled softly, then a second after, she frowned noticeably. "Which reminds me, I don't know what exactly happened on that day your employees were murdered. Could you, perhaps... tell me about it?"

Trunks hesitated for a bit, and then, he whispered, "I received a phone call."

"And?"

"... It was a death threat. Something about... running away to avoid further death, death of those people who will defend me," the young man replied quietly. "He told me to... run away while I still have time. Then he told me to open the door to see what he is capable of doing, and then... I saw them all. All 13 of them. Dead."

Chichi let out a gasp.

"It was terrible, Chichi-san," Trunks blurted out with a shudder. "They looked as if... their ki was sucked out of them, taking away their life as it was done so. Their eyes were empty and void-like... their skin withered like dead leaves... and they appeared as if they were only composed of thin flaps of skin and very brittle bones..."

A grimace swept the other's pale face. "How in the world... could anyone have done that? I mean, if the caller himself did that --- sucked the life energy out of them --- he should have grown more powerful, ki-wise, or he must have exerted ki when he did so. You didn't feel anything, like a negative energy or a suspicious ki-signature, did you, Trunks?"

He shook his head. "No. Not at all. If I did, I would have stormed out of Capsule Corporation and gone into the offensive. After the androids, I learned one very important lesson: _Never let your guard down_. But still... I didn't feel anything, and now I'm beginning to doubt if I'm still in fighting shape, if I can still triumph if an evil being would come and attempt to take over the world. I mean, I've spent most of my time recently doing officework, that wouldn't be impossible..."

"As I said earlier, Trunks, I have full confidence in you."

Trunks chose not to speak, as he did not want Chichi to know that he truly doubted himself much more than anyone could imagine. He just sat there, his head hung in silence, somehow battling against the part of himself that refused to have faith in his capabilities. 

Upon seeing that the demi-saiyajin refused to talk about the topic at hand, Chichi stood up and straightened her apron. _Well, if the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach, I hope that the best way to a man's mind is through his stomach as well. I hope after dinner he'll tell me what's bothering him, and then, I can think of a way to help him. Oh Kami, this is going to be hard. Trunks is a lot colder and more secretive than the last time we met, I don't really know what he's like at the moment..._

"I'll be in the kitchen, just yell if you want anything," she said softly, putting up the friendliest smile she could manage, although she felt that --- _somehow_ --- the young saiyajin prince saw right through her.

Prime Minister Hyouko Kaname slammed the door of his study room shut, and heaved a heavy sigh shortly after. He made his way towards his favorite reclining chair and slumped, stress clearly reflected in his eyes even though the lens of his elliptically-shaped eyeglasses covered them. "Kasumi..." he began softly with his eyes closed, "... do you think it was a wise decision for me to approve of that executive order? Now that I thought of it intently, it seemed like it was pushed through too fast, and I'm not certain if---"

"If you're worried about coup d'etats and the possibility of getting assassinated, that's what you got me for," the 16-year-old young woman stepped out from the shadows right behind Hyouko's reclining chair, a rather cocky grin on her pale, pointed face. "Besides, it had been a long time since you last sent me out to do some decent _work_, and my skills might get rusty if you keep this up."

Kaname forced a smile.

"Get over it," Valkyrie snapped, folding her arms in front of her chest, anger staining her features. "Isn't this what you want? To rid the world of evil, to have a sacrifice so pure, so that it will earn you favor from the gods? Then stand up for what you've started; I know that deep inside, you're sure that you're doing the right thing. And I know that you want to do something no other ruler has ever done." She lowered her voice, so that only her master would hear. "Give Katori the order _now_. That brat needs to be eliminated as soon as possible. We don't want any of our plans to go behind schedule, do we?"

"I..." he began, rather reluctantly. "I want to ask Yumi first."

"Ask her what?" she countered, an eyebrow raised to a dangerous edge. She then paused, thinking of how to put what she wanted to say correctly, in a way that it would drill its point into her master's head without offending him. "Yumi has not yet learned how to control her power. She sees things, but she is unable to see them when she wants to. Master, please. If she sees that something will happen to you, she will definitely tell you about it. There is no need to run to her at the moment, and ask her to look into your future."

After what seemed to be eternity, he nodded. "You're right. I... I guess I should have more confidence in myself this time. I'm just not too used to the idea of making decisions that will affect so many people. But then, I suppose there is nothing I can do to take back what we've agreed upon," he said with a smile, before he took his comlink and set a certain frequency. "Katori. Status report."

_"Negative, sir. We lost him---"_

Hyouko muted the comlink, looking at his right-hand warrior questioningly. Then, after what seemed to be a short mental _conversation_, she took the comlink and reactivated it. "Daichi, the master is not pleased with your negligence," she muttered coldly, although she had a twisted smile on her face. After all, she wanted nothing more than the other to fail, so that she would be able to do the task she had wanted to do for so long. The other's warning gaze told her, however, that her time would come. "But he wants to give you a second chance... _one last chance_."

She then pressed a couple of buttons on the Prime Minister's laptop, and in a moment, the gridlines once again appeared. This time, the dot blinked at the far right end of the screen. "He's at 439 East Mountain District," she blurted out before she keyed in another sequence. "Residence of a certain Chichi Son, a widow. Most probably a friend of the brat's mother... yes, a family friend, all right. Now listen up. Tonight is your last chance. If that brat lives by sunrise, I will personally see to it that you will die in the way he is supposed to. _By my hand_."

The comlink was then reactivated and handed back to the faction's leader. "You never cease to amaze me," Hyouko complimented, putting the communicator away and leaning forward to look at her intently. "I especially like the way you deal with people. So cool, and yet... so _cruel_."

"I'm taking that as a compliment," she replied, "and a new way of saying _thank you_."

"I'm serious about this matter, Kasumi. _Very_ serious, in fact. Which reminds me... have you thought about it yet? I don't mean to pressure you or anything, but I just happen to be... anxious... about the decision of someone like you." Scarlet tinted his cheeks a bit. "I'm not expecting much or anything, just..."

"It's amazing," she began in a highly amused tone, "how men stutter and flush when they talk about matters such as this. How brave, headstrong men like you get reduced to little boys in front of women like me. I wonder what would you do... if I tell you... that I still need more time to think about it?"

"I'll wait," he replied, flashing her a knowing smile. "For eternity, if I have to."

_"I can't believe it! Your dad's going to marry that secretary of his? Man, that's screwed! I mean, no offense to that lady friend of yours or to your dad, but they're not supposed to be into that kind of relationship considering their age gap! Your dad's old enough to be her father! And... ewwww, someone younger than you is going to become your stepmother?! That's gross!"_

"I know," Yumi replied, rolling her eyes and slumping against the couch. She was holding the remote control in one hand, a glass of iced tea in the other, and the telephone receiver was carefully balanced on her shoulder. "I wanted to talk to dad about it, but he's too busy with all the press conferences and stuff. I never wanted him to go into politics, but he chose to do so. He said that our nation needs a leader who can bring it back to its former glory." She then frowned, remembering the other's words. "And Kasumi's not my friend. I hate her."

_"For being the woman your dad loves?"_

"Bite me. Dad doesn't love her, he just... I dunno. But I don't think he loves her, or maybe it's just not obvious. Oh I don't know already, I'm getting annoyed with all these things flying around town. I want some peace and quiet, but when I go watch TV, there's always something about our family. Can't they just leave us in peace or something?!"

The girl at the other end of the line laughed. _"Alas, Yumi, they won't. You know how those media people are, and they're annoying right to the brim. They won't stop until you drop --- I forgot where I heard that line from, but I had always been wanting to say that. Anyway, tell you what, why don't we go out or something? Like... watch a movie? I'll bring someone with me, I'm sure you'll like him."_

"And provide the media another feast? Another sizzling news story about the Prime Minister's daughter, who's mother is a prostitute? I'm sorry, Akane, but I have to turn down your offer. You can come by my apartment, but I'm not going out. Not until these rumors die down. Besides, I'm sure Jin won't let me go out---"

_"The deal with the CEO of Capsule Corporation, I suppose?"_

Yumi bit her lip, put down the now-empty glass and uttered an affirmative. "You know he's very protective of me, and I don't want him to worry. Not that I'm accusing that person of murder, but I just don't want to be in the wrong place at the wrong time... I mean, the true killer could be just around the corner, somewhere...." She paused to listen to the other's reply, and upon hearing it, her eyes flew wide and touches of pink were painted on her cheeks. She then bolted up and snapped defensively, "_Absolutely not!_"

She heard laughter from the other side, followed by a few barely audible comments, then once again by squeals and even more laughter.

"Oh forget it!" she exclaimed, her face now as red as a tomato. "I'm definitely not talking to you ever again! And don't expect me to come over the next time you ask me to! And no, you're not welcome to drop by here either!"

_"Aw c'mon, Yumi, can't you take a joke?"_ the voice squealed in a high-pitched tone. _"Wait a minute... that WASN'T a joke! I mean, come on, look at you! You've just got to be the most popular and the prettiest female in the country --- your dad's wife-to-be isn't even close to second --- and on the other hand, he's the most popular and the hottest guy in all of Japan! Well... your dad's popular, but he's not hot, no offense. But anyway---"_

"I swear I'm not talking to you ever EVER again!" Yumi half-screamed before she disconnected her line, sat back down, and took her favorite book. She then flipped one page after the other, looking for the part she last read and mumbling something to herself incoherently while doing so. The embarrassed look on her face and the rosy glow on her cheeks remained, however, as she put the book close to her face and resumed reading.

A relieved sigh escaped Chichi's lips as she looked at Trunks' still form --- he was _finally_ asleep.

She walked back into her room in a slow pace as she thought of the matter she had in her hands. She wanted to help the young man so much, but she didn't know how. When Gohan had problems, she knew how to deal with them, she knew how to help him out --- but Trunks wasn't Gohan, even if he was the latter's student. Trunks was his own man, and Chichi didn't know him as much as she thought she did, which made things difficult.

_If only he had a best friend or something... it would definitely make things easier for both of us. His best friend would surely know what to do, how to make him feel better. But the androids... they made Trunks grow up so fast, they stole his childhood, they prevented him from making friends... such a terrible predicament for someone so young..._ Chichi thought furiously as she clamped her hand into a fist. _If only Goku lived..._

Goku. Thinking of him hurt her deeply. It had been years --- many, many years --- but the wound in her heart remained. It would not heal, no matter how she wanted it to. The slightest memory of him would make her cry... though she did not want to cry. At that, Chichi shook her head and wiped the tears off her eyes, forcing back the rest that were threatening to fall. After doing so, she pushed the door of her room open...

... and then, a bright light blinded her as a massive explosion occured.


	6. True Colors

**Hikari No Will Power**

_Act One, Chapter Five_**  
****Hyouko Kaname Shows His True Colors! Trunks' Confrontation With The Prime Minister!**

  
"Kami, she's going into cardiac arrest!"

Wounded not only physically but also emotionally, Trunks looked on through the glass pane of the hospital's emergency room helplessly. Another important figure in his life was slipping away from him, and there was nothing he could do but pray that fate would be kind --- although he knew that fate was nowhere near kind, considering all that had happened to him in a few days' time.

Guilt wrenched his heart painfully as he watched the medical personnel struggle to pull the widow out of death's vortex --- it was _his_ fault that she was in such a state in the first place. She was not, after all, part of the game Trunks got himself in, and she would have remained unharmed if the young man chose to fight rather than flee.

It was then when the flame of hatred ignited from the core of his very being. There was only one person to blame, one person to eliminate so as to put an end to the streak of bad luck that fell over him. Trunks could not stop scolding himself silently on how dense, how stupid he had been, and how it took him so long to figure out the true identity of his so-called _hunter_.

He pulled away, unable to watch as the forces of life and death went to work. The anger from inside him was making its way to the surface in a fast pace, generating a pale yet visible shimmer of white all over his body. It was a strange sensation, yes. He could no longer feel the pain his wounds caused; he no longer felt tired and weary, but rather, ready for battle. He was regaining his strength in a steady pace --- and it was not stopping.

And all of a sudden, he heard voices, _very familiar_ voices. They were screaming, calling out his name, in such a loud manner that he cringed noticeably, even if those voices were merely inside his head. They sounded very real, however, as they called out to him one after the other --- Bulma; his sensei, Gohan; Gohan of the other timeline; Goku; _Vegeta_... yes, even Vegeta, Trunks' father who he never thought he'd ever meet.

A new set of voices came in shortly after, interlacing with those that struck first and they called out to the young man. But if the first set were encouraging, and even pleading, in a way, the second set of voices were mocking him... taunting him... intimidating him...

The voices of the Jinzouningen twins, Juunanagou and Juuhachigou, echoed first, their maniacal laughter pounding on Trunks' ears. The second belonged to Cell, the android who mercilessly slaughtered the young man once in another timeline; the third sounded similar to a crazed warlord, with a high, cackling laugh --- Freeza, no doubt.

But then came a voice which overpowered the rest. It was cold, sinister, and very inert that it prevented Trunks from moving a muscle all of a sudden. **_Run, Briefs-Vegeta... Run... Run away, while you have the time... while you have the chance... I am the hunter and you are the hunted... I am the hunter and you are the hunted... I AM THE HUNTER AND YOU ARE THE HUN---_**

"Mr. Briefs-Vegeta?"

Trunks snapped back to reality upon hearing the voice, jumping slightly in surprise, and the voices in his head fading into nothingness. He straightened up, took a deep breath, and spun around to face an elderly man with reddish-brown hair and crystalline jet-black eyes.

"Gashakura."

"Yes, sir, it is I indeed," the other said with a twisted smile. "Fancy seeing you here, of all places... wounded, too. What happened? Did they get you?"

_"What do you want."_ It wasn't a question; it was a statement.

The police officer yawned lazily, and then replied in a drawling voice, "We're here to arrest you, of course. And if you're going to ask why... well, you should start keeping your ears and eyes out for the news." He paused to take a piece of paper from the folds of his overcoat, and handed it to the young man.

The demi-saiyajin's cobalt eyes narrowed significantly, but he took the paper, nonetheless, keeping his guard up as he did so. If it was a trap, he did not want to fall for it just like that, even though he knew he would eventually give in to their offer when there would be no other choice.

"Go on, read it," Gashakura urged with the same sardonic smile. "You'll find it very interesting, very interesting indeed. And well... _shocking_, I might add."

Trunks looked at it skeptically. It was the front page of that very day's edition of _Capitol Today_.

**Operation 'Mass Cleansing' initiated, Kaname feels it 'is necessary'**

_Just last night, Executive Order No. 666 (Mass Cleansing Order) was approved by Prime Minister Hyouko Kaname after debating with the other officials for hours in the Capitol's Great Hall._

_The Prime Minister felt it was necessary to take such drastic measures as the crime rate in Japan increased rapidly the past few days. "There are many citizens of this nation who have forgotten who is supposed to be in charge," Kaname stated yesterday in a private conference with the CT staff. "It is time to stop their fantasies and bring them back to the world of reality, where _they_ put me in charge. It is time to show them how things are supposed to be done, and dealt with, with myself in charge."_

_Executive Order No. 666 had been proposed in the past, yet never implemented because of the effect brought about by the 'violence against violence' principle behind it. Kaname, however, said that, "It is the only way to ensure a clean and peaceful Japan in the future, for our children, for our children's children, and for the generations to come."_

_A list of those criminals wanted by the government, ranked according to priority and severity of their crimes, were distributed, and below is the reproduced copy. If you know any of those mentioned below, or if you have seen them recently, please contact the police department nearest you, or call up the CT's main office._

_1) Briefs-Vegeta, Trunks  
2) Itsu, Kashikoi  
3) Adana, Yusuke  
4) Tsukirido, Misu  
5) Natsukashu, Daitoryo_

And more names followed, which made the list stretch all the way to the back page.

At that, Trunks chuckled in a rather amused manner. "So I'm _Public Enemy No. 1_, huh? For murdering 13 Capsule Corporation employees with the use of a lethal virus --- a very clever accusation, and a very believable one, too, considering the fact that I'm a genius by nature." He stopped to smile, then he held out both hands, which surprised the policemen, including Officer Gashakura himself. "Well? What are you waiting for? Handcuff me before I change my mind, will you?"

"I'm glad you finally realized that running away will do you no good --- except, perhaps, cause you a sudden, painless death."

The young man chose to ignore the rather snotty remark from the police officer. "I have one favor to ask, though," he began, meeting the officer's ebony orbs with his sapphire ones. "May I have an audience with Prime Minister Kaname, even for just five minutes? I'd like to arrange a few things regarding the civilian, Chichi Son, who was injured during the bombing, because she was at the wrong place at the wrong time."

Gashakura stopped to consider it, and then, he gave in. "Very well, then."

Cerulean eyes glistening, Trunks Briefs-Vegeta allowed himself to be dragged to wherever Prime Minister Hyouko Kaname was. A triumphant smile spread on his rather pale features as he followed his captors silently, without complain, for he would soon come face-to-face with the man who caused him all the trouble --- and have his revenge.

Revenge was sweet. _Very sweet._

"Failure. How utterly _disgusting_," Ten-Thirteen spat with her arms crossed in front of her chest authoritatively. "You were given the order _and_ the permission to kill. But no, you still failed! How pathetic could you get --- and to think you're the best among Master Kanryu's troops!"

Katori and his crew hung their heads.

"Clever tactic, I might commend... _But_ it seems like you underestimated the brat's capabilities. Blowing up the spot he is standing on to smithereens will not be enough to cut his life short. You should have _attacked_ when he was dazed and injured! Where the hell are your brains?! Did you leave them beside the bomb, and lose them when the bomb blew up the place into dirt and dust?"

"Now, now, _dear_... that's enough---"

Her fierce blue eyes, which were drastically narrowed, seemed to pierce right through them and focus on their souls, as she continued to look at them in utter fury. Then, she straightened up, although it was obviously in a reluctant fashion. "What should I do with them, my lord?"

Kanryu's features were lit up with a cruel smile. "Why, dispose of them, of course."

"Master, you can't!" Katori protested, dropping to his knees and bowing to his superior in desperation to stay alive. "It was but a miscalculation, Master! I... I underestimated the boy! I thought... I... It won't happen again, Master, I swear! Please---"

"One mistake may cause our faction's downfall, Katori," the other said calmly. "I cannot afford to take chances, not especially at this crucial time. Besides, I already gave you your second chance, and you wasted it by underestimating the capabilities of a saiyajin warrior such as that brat. Ten-Thirteen, dear, please."

"Master!" Katori threw himself to Kanryu's feet, sobbing pathetically. "One more chance, Master! One more chance, I'm begging you! Have mercy, Master, please! It won't happen again, I will learn from my mistake, I will not fail... please, Master, have mercy! I'm begging you, please, Master, have mercy---"

"SILENCE!" the female assassin roared, her eyes aflame. And on the next moment, her cool, composed self was back, and she pulled the piece of vermin away from her commander by the back of his robe. Then, she threw Katori to the ground roughly, and kicked him on the side. "We agreed on this last night, didn't we, Daichi? You will die by my hand if you'll fail to eliminate that brat --- and you failed, so you will die. All of you. And allow me the satisfaction to have it nice and slow, will you? After all, the slower, the more dramatic... the _better_."

**Knock. Knock.**

Kanryu raised his hand, stopping Ten-Thirteen who was about to begin the show that would surely please the older man. "It appears that we have guests, and lucky for you, because your execution shall take place later than expected," he said coolly before he stood up and brushed specks of dirt off his tux. Then, he turned to his other bodyguards, who were standing nearby but did not interfere. "Take them away; Ten-Thirteen and I will deal with our guests. Come now, dear."

She threw one last glare at Daichi Katori and his crew before she picked up her blazer from her superior's table and put it on, earning a smile of approval from the other. She then pushed the stray locks of hair behind her ear, took the folder that lay beside the tray of papers on the same table, and put up the table sign the right away, which read, _Hyouko Kaname, Prime Minister._

"Get the door now, dear; they might be worried."

Putting the friendliest smile she could muster, she opened the door and led their visitors in. Officer Gashakura pushed himself inside first, followed by a couple other policemen, and lastly by the former CEO of Capsule Corporation who was the most wanted _criminal_ at that certain time. She did not look happy, however, as she shut the door --- annoyed by the fact that someone else got the brat first, perhaps --- and her heated glare rested heavily on the lavender-haired, blue-eyed demi-saiyajin.

"Miss Valkyrie, Sir Kaname, pleasant day to you," Gashakura greeted, beaming as he cocked his head to the side slightly to indicate his captive, who was forced to stand beside him. "I have captured him at last, although he requested to see you, sir --- yes, you may go." He nodded to his fellow policemen before they scurried out of the office, leaving only the four of them in the room.

"Ah... Trunks Briefs-Vegeta, if I'm not mistaken?"

Briefs-Vegeta forced a smile, and it was painful, for the rage he had been trying to supress inside of him was beginning to sputter out of control. "Yes, sir, it is I," he replied, glancing uneasily at the young woman who looked younger yet deadlier than himself, before he turned to look back at the person who stood before him --- the Prime Minister, politically the most powerful person in all of Japan. "I've... I've come to ask you a favor, sir, before I would face the punishment I am due for."

The older man leaned back on his comfortable reclining chair. "A favor? A strange thing to hear from someone like you, but I am not like those who came before me. They did not have compassion, they did not have mercy, to those who faltered and fell on the wrong path --- unlike myself. I will hear you out, and see what I can do." He smiled, nodding at the young woman who hid by the shadows. "What is that favor you want from me, young man?"

The demi-saiyajin kicked the _shy guy_ facade into action as he shuffled his feet with his head bowed. "Well... you see... I was in the residence of my mother's friend, Chichi Son, when these people came for me. They... well, bombed the place, and she got injured heavily. She's got nothing to do with all this, and thus I beg you to please give her financial support. She has no family left; her husband died seventeen years ago, her son a few years back..." He swallowed, the memory of his sensei's death surging back through him like a shockwave.

"I see," Kaname said, seemingly in deep thought. Then, he leaned forward to smile at the young man. "Very well, I will provide her all the help she would need. Is there anything else you want from me, young man? Name it, now, while I have time, and before I turn you over completely to Officer Gashakura here for execution."

_"Answers."_

The Prime Minister blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Answers, Kaname, I want answers," Briefs-Vegeta snapped, his voice heavily strained as if he was having trouble controlling it. The aura that was carefully monitored minutes back erupted all of a sudden, and to their surprise, the handcuffs that bound him fell to the ground without so as much a struggle. His eyes flaming, he hissed, "And don't get any bright ideas."

Valkyrie prepared herself for battle by stepping out of the shadow that hid her, but Kaname held out his hand, telling her to stop. His firm gaze was enough to tell her not to interfere, not until he needed her assistance. "Then throw the questions," he countered in a very cool voice, as if being threatened by saiyajins was normal and happened every day. "and I'll answer them to the best of my capabilities. But please, let us refrain from using foul language --- we have a woman with us."

_"Why?!"_

"Why _what?_" Kaname asked in return.

"Why are you doing this to me?! What have I done to you?! Why can't you just leave me alone?! I have _nothing_ left, nothing at all, don't you know that?! My mother's dead, and so are my friends and the rest of my family; Capsule Corporation no longer belongs to me, taken away by that bastard Iori Moriya; I'm bankrupt, not a single zenny in my possession, my clan's wealth reduced to nothing --- and now I'm bound to be executed for a crime I did not commit! What do you want anyway?!"

Kaname's pursed lips transformed into a bitter smile as he leaned back against his chair and laced his fingers together. His crystalline emerald eyes met Briefs-Vegeta's sapphire ones... and for the first time, he noticed that he had seen those eyes somewhere. But it was not the time for that, the Prime Minister knew. The boy wanted answers; he would give him answers. "I only want _two_ things, young man, and one leads to the other. Very simple things, if you really think of it. _You_, and the _world_."

Shock and confusion could be seen on the young man's pale face, and that caused Kaname to laugh, in a very amused and wholehearted way. "Yes, young man, you heard me right! I want you --- I want you _dead_. And once you're dead, nobody will stand in my way. The world will be then be _mine_, ripe for the taking."


	7. Secret Weapon

**Hikari No Will Power**

_Act One, Chapter Six_**  
****The Prime Minister's Secret Weapon Revealed! Trunks Briefs-Vegeta VS Kasumi Valkyrie!**

  
_"What?!"_

Briefs-Vegeta could not believe his ears, could not believe what he just heard. Kaname wanted him _dead_, so nobody could stop the crazed Prime Minister from taking over the world? The world which he worked so hard to save from the androids? _Is this how they're planning to repay me for what I've done for them, by destroying me so I won't stand in their way?! How ungrateful of them, to think they owe me their lives!_

"You heard me, young man," Kaname blurted out coolly. "I want you dead. That's why I took the trouble of preparing the perfect trap for you to fall into, even if I had to sacrifice other matters that were of importance to me. Like spending time with my daughter, perhaps. But I'm sure she'll understand, when the time comes; what I'm doing is for her own good, for her own future."

"I'm sure she will," the younger man blurted out sarcastically before he looked at the Prime Minister with utter seriousness, a threatening gleam in his eyes. "But you'll never know. You might be shocked to see a rebellion one day, with your daughter leading the forces herself, pushed by the belief that you will cause this world's destruction out of your principles that are downright _idiotic_. You plan to make this world a better place by that _Mass Cleansing Order_ of yours? Who are you kidding?"

Leaning forward to peer into the demi-saiyajin's eyes, Kaname smirked. "I'm not kidding anyone, Briefs-Vegeta. _You_ are the one kidding yourself, in denying that I can accomplish my dream of a clean and peaceful world through that. This planet is teeming with evil, young man, and I'm sure you know that. And the only way to make our world a better place is _to get rid of that evil _--- even if we'll have to use brute force to accomplish that. Open your eyes to the truth. There is no other way."

"There _is_ another way," Briefs-Vegeta growled, his anger rising once more. "There is another way to make this world a better place, if only you'll get your mind out of the gutter and think of something else! There is another way to pave a better future for all of us, without spilling the blood of innocent civilians and those who did not do anything wrong in the first place! You're going to go and get rid of that evil, yes, but don't you see what you're truly doing? You're just repeating the act, killing in cold blood, and in an even heavier intensity as you're doing it to so many people at just a certain span of time!"

"And what are you going to do about it?"

The other lifted his hand, and began charging up a ki-blast in it. He could not think anymore. Blood was pounding in his ears as he thought of all that had happened to him and those who had been loyal to him the past days. They _died_ because of the lunatic who was sitting so comfortably in front of him, the lunatic who wanted to get rid of the only person who could stand up against him and defend the innocents, and thus have the world for himself and mold it into whatever he would want it to become.

_I will not allow it to happen,_ the young man thought to himself as he looked at the other with sharp, ice-cold eyes. _I will not let him have it his way. This world will not stand on a foundation of evil and violence. This world was built by love, by the blood of those who died in defending it from the servants of the devil... by the Z-Senshi... by my _family_..._

His steely voice replied, "I'm going to kill you."

**Present Timeline  
Capsule Corporation, 785 AD**

"You're kidding!"

There was definitely a mischievous gleam in Trunks Briefs-Vegeta's eyes, and as predicted, his best friend Goten Son certainly did not miss it. It was not only because of the fact that they had been best of friends since their childhood, it was also because it was a gleam that appeared on the former's features almost everyday. "I'm not," the lavender-haired, blue-eyed demi-saiyajin said smugly as he sat down at the edge of his bed. "And I think it's the _perfect_ thing to hand to our Physics teacher! I'm sure we're going to get grades that will be floating way above the perfect mark!"

Raven-haired, ebony-eyed Goten chose to sit down on the floor, right across the older warrior, and he put his bag aside before plastering an equally excited smile on his features. "That's going to be so cool! Nobody will beat us in the fair with _that_ as our entry, and we won't have to worry about our midterms anymore! So when are we going to start? You got the materials ready? The blueprint? The---"

"That's no problem," Trunks replied as he pulled out a large piece of paper from under his bed. "I got the blueprint here, took it from the lab two weeks ago. The materials and equipment are all in the lab, too. We only have one problem, and I'm afraid that it's going to be the trickiest one to get past." He lowered his voice. "Keeping my mom from knowing what's going on. I'm very sure she won't be happy that we're going to show off what she's done _in public_ and take the credit for it."

"I am not planning to think about the consequences if she finds out, thank you," the younger blurted out.

"Good. We'll just have to be _very careful _with our operations, and if possible, add a few features that will spice it up. I mean, we can't alter its main and _only_ function, can we? So we'll just have to put our brains together and come up with something unique and extraordinary before we hand it over. We have..." he paused to look at his desk calendar. "... a week more, after all. Now let's see, let's start off with--- A WEEK?!"

Goten sighed heavily as his best friend fell off the bed and crashed to the floor dramatically. "I've been telling you, reminding you about it for _three weeks_, Trunks, but you didn't pay attention to me. You kept blabbing about other matters during those times, like your soccer matches and your future in the J-League, or the girl you're planning to make a move on and how you were going to do it. And now, look at how much time we have left. A week. And to add to that, you're planning to build a---"

"We can do it! I'm positive that we can!" Trunks exclaimed as he got up and grabbed the blueprint from the floor, pulling Goten to stand beside him in the process. "See? This wouldn't be so hard to do! We'll just have to --- darn, we're running low on plutonium... and the titanium shipment isn't until next month."

They stood in silence for a few moments, disappointment evident in their features.

"Got any other ideas, Goten?"

"Well..." the younger demi-saiyajin mumbled as he began pacing around his best friend's bedroom. The other could tell that he was running low on ideas, after their plans in constructing their supposed-to-be masterpiece was cut short. "We could always convert non-electronic everyday equipment into electronic and highly technological ones and make them a whole lot easier and more convenient to use... you know, add a couple of features or something. How about if... if we add a _geiger counter_ and an automatic system to my mother's frying pan, so that it will only hit those with high power levels such as ourselves?"

**Mirai Timeline  
Capitol Hall, 784 AD**

He had no other option left at that moment but to destroy the man responsible for it all, Hyouko Kaname, and so without hesitation, he released the energy that he had charged up in his hand, right towards the Prime Minister of Japan who sat in front of him, as cool and complacent as ever.

But the blast was deflected.

"Even someone like you won't be able to pull off something like that," a voice muttered coldly, and the demi-saiyajin's eyes widened in surprise as he saw the Prime Minister's secretary standing right in front of him --- in between the predator and the prey --- as smug-looking as ever. "Not while I'm around, anyway."

"Get out," he ordered, meeting her fierce gaze with his own. "Or I'll be forced to kill you as well."

At the threat, she smirked, in a manner that took Briefs-Vegeta aback, as her arrogant gestures were very much familiar to the young man. Cockily, she said, "I'd very much like to see you try. You don't seem to have an idea who I am, and what I am capable of doing. Would you like a demonstration, right here, right now? Or would you like to take this somewhere, so we could battle without holding anything back? I'd prefer the latter."

"For the last time, lady, get out of my way, or I'll blast you to oblivion with him."

"And for the last time, I'd like to see you try," she countered, her eyes taking a dangerous shimmer.

Briefs-Vegeta's eyes narrowed significantly as he glared at her intently. _Cocky one that girl is, but I'm sure she won't last long. One _Final Flash_ should do it. Might as well end it here, to stop any more trouble from brewing. She'd like to see me try, huh? Don't worry, lady, I meant what I said, and I'm going to blast you to oblivion with him, no strings attached. You better start saying your prayers, _he thought before he leapt back and took up a certain stance.

He felt someone hold his shoulder, but it did not stop him from doing what he wanted to.

"FINAL FLASH!"

He then blinked, upon noticing what had happened. He was no longer in Kaname's office; he was standing in the midst of a desert plain, the dust whirling around him as they danced with the wind that scurried past. The blast he released, shot right through the current, and then, disappeared from his view.

At that, he began to feel very uncomfortable. He looked around frantically, searching for the ki signature he was feeling, but he could not find the owner of it. A thought struck him --- did the power level belong to Kaname's secretary, who offered to battle with him in a place where they won't have to _hold anything back?_ Was she the one who brought him in where he was standing at the moment, through teleportation, perhaps?

"You're a smart kid," a female voice sprung to his ears, and he whirled around to see the young woman he was facing earlier, who was now in full battle regalia. "Yes, the power level you felt earlier was mine. I hid it back then at Capitol; I didn't want you to know I could fight like you do at that specific time. Yes, I brought you here, through teleportation --- through _Shunkan Idou_, to be exact. You know, _Instant Transmission?_"

It dawned on him. She was the one who took a hold on his shoulder just before he fired his attack.

She sneered. "Brilliant! You catch up fast, brat. I grabbed you before you could fire your ki-blast. And yes, I'm psychic, and I _can_ read minds --- isn't that what I'm doing now?" she added as soon as a new thought surged through the young man's head. Then, she pushed the stray locks of her jet-black hair away from her pale, pointed face. "I suppose it's time for me to introduce myself. My name is Ten-Thirteen, although I live in this mudball of a planet by the name Kasumi Valkyrie. I was named such with a reason, of course... two reasons, for that matter. First, I have the ability to fade into any obscurity --- mists are my specialty --- without being noticed, appearing invisible, thus the name _Kasumi_. Second, I'm simply a killing machine. Do you happen to know the name of the Norse death goddess, brat?"

Briefs-Vegeta scowled. What game was she trying to play? That was all he needed and wanted to know --- that she was a heartless assassin, up and about the orders of a crazed politician. For some reason, however, he could not stop staring at her, for he knew that he had seen her before, somewhere, although he could not make it out.

The assassin, to the demi-saiyajin's surprised, was intimidated by his silence. "Stop your attempt to ignore me, brat! I asked you a question, now answer me! Do you know the name or not?! It's just a yes-or-no question, don't tell me that famous Trunks Briefs-Vegeta can't understand something as simple as that?! You're pathetic!"

"Yes, I know it --- _Valkyrie_ is the Norse death goddess! Satisfied?!" he snapped back.

"Precisely," Valkyrie approved, and her cool, composed self was immediately back in place, almost as if she wasn't mad just a second back. She then smirked. "That's how my name came to be, and I hope it will be helpful to you. You will find a lot of hints through my name, and if you're lucky, you can find them all and use them against me. But with a mind as clouded as yours, I doubt it."

"Don't be too sure about your victory in this battle, lady," Briefs-Vegeta shot in return as he tried in vain to assure himself that he was going to survive the battle that was about to take place. He was confident earlier, but he was shaken when he found out that Valkyrie was psychic, as it meant she could not only read minds, she could also move things with her mind, and perhaps, influence people with it. "You don't know me as much as you think you do."

"Oh, I know who you are, and your accomplishments are nothing to be proud of. True, you saved the world from the androids, but what took you so long? You had the power, but you were not able to get it out at the right time, you were not able to control it and put it to its proper use. And because of that, many died, when you could have saved them."

_I will not fall for this... I will not fall for this! She's trying to psycho me into doing something that will earn her a victory, but I will not fall for it! I. Will. Not. Fall. For. It!_ he told himself sternly, almost in a trance-like manner as he repeated the words over and over again. He looked at the female assassin, who was only a few inches shorter than himself, and composed himself. He was going to win. "Stop twisting things around and let's get started."

Valkyrie smiled, the smile that irritated the young man for some reason. Maybe because he had never seen anyone who looked as smug and confident in battle just like his father, Vegeta? The female warrior was certainly showing confidence and arrogance with the same intensity as that of the Saiyajin no Ouji, and it was proven when she said in the same cocky manner, "You've just signed your death contract. Well, then, put on your battle gear and let's get going. I want to eliminate you as soon as possible."

Briefs-Vegeta complied, and he took off his overcoat, revealing the all-too-familiar fighting outfit of his --- a black undershirt and a pair of blue pants, except that he did not have a sword any longer. The sword he used to have shattered into pieces by one of the blasted androids in the timeline in which he traveled into. "You're going to wish you've never been born," he shot in reply, the arrogance in his face in such a high intensity, they were almost sporting exactly similar expressions.

And then, the battle began.


	8. Capture

**[Author's Note] **Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Happy Holidays! I hope you had a good time, and I hope you got a lot of presents! Anyway, here's my present for all of you... a new chapter! Yes, and an extra-long one to boot, the longest I've written so far for this fanfic! Rejoice! *grins*

Before I continue, I would like to announce the changes I made, as you might have noticed. I divided this story into sagas or _acts_, each with a prelude, a couple of chapters, and a finale. So far, I've thought of two sagas, but I might get ideas that might stretch this thing even longer.

Well, I won't hold you any longer, here is the new chapter to satisfy your desires. You will find the answers to your questions here, but I think you'll be able to formulate a couple more. *winks* Please review, you know I love them!

* * *

**Hikari No Will Power**

_Act One, Chapter Seven  
_**One Clever Move On The Chessboard! The Unanticipated Capture Of The Queen!**

  
**Present Timeline**

Desperation was evident in Trunks Briefs-Vegeta's pale face, especially in the way his sapphire eyes glimmered. "We _have_ to do this, Goten! We don't have any other choice --- if we won't do this, we're going to flunk _and_ lose the fair! We've never been defeated before! _We must do this!_"

"Yeah, yeah, Trunks, I get the point," Goten Son blurted out, rolling his raven eyes. Then, he grinned crookedly. "Don't worry, I'm with you. I just hope there'll be something for me after we receive our punishment from your mother --- something _good_ that'll brighten my day."

"Punishment? What are you saying?" the other asked innocently.

"Alright, so what's the plan?" the younger demi-saiyajin asked, ignoring the joke and getting straight to the point. He sat down on the edge of the Trunks' bed and looked at his best friend with utter seriousness... and all of a sudden, he scowled. "Oh, great. You _don't_ have a plan yet, do you?"

The 19-year-old pinked. "Of course I do! What makes you think I don't?" he exclaimed hastily, in a defensive manner that was thorougly obvious. "Now, listen. We're going to sneak into the lab when mom leaves for that business meeting of hers, and upon reaching the entrance, we split. I sneak in and dump that machine into a capsule, you keep an eye out for everyone else who might cause trouble. Especially my dad and his bratty little princess."

Goten looked doubtful. "Wouldn't it look suspicious if I would be pacing around the lab, considering the fact that I don't live here, and that I don't have the right to just barge into that part of this establishment? Why don't we switch? It'll be easier to pull off. If someone spots you by the entrance, your excuse will definitely click --- and if we're lucky, maybe they wouldn't even bother to ask you what you're doing. I'll sneak in, just tell me what to do."

"Well..." Trunks paused to consider the matter. "Okay, then. We have a deal."

**Mirai Timeline**

_You're this world's defender?!_

Briefs-Vegeta forced his stinging eyes to open, but he found himself unable to. There was something that was preventing him from doing so, something called _pain_. And that pain kept him in a claustrophobic nightmare, unable to do anything but breathe. He was lucky he could even breathe, as he lay still on the ground with barely enough energy to continue.

He had never felt so helpless in his life.

_You're who these pathetic humans are counting on in times of need?!_

He felt his fingers contract, scooping up dust from the ground and leaving narrow tracks through his fingers. He felt a few muscles from all over him twitch, as if they were slowly being reactivated by tiny ripples of electricity, and a few moments later, the paralysis wore off --- his nightmare then became a dream, a road with light shining at the other end.

It wasn't the best feeling in the world, as he still wasn't strong enough to jolt back into the battle that was still taking place, but for the time being, it was sufficient enough for the young man. A few moments later, he finally had the ability to re-open his eyes, and he did so slowly but surely. It was only a dream, yes, and relief swept him as he thought, for a moment, that it had _all_ been a dream --- the sinister plans of Hyouko Kaname, the bombing of the Son's residence, the fall of his company, the murder of his employees, the unpleasant phone call, the death of his mother, Cell, the death of his sensei and the Z-Senshi, the androids...

But he was wrong.

With his sapphire orbs, he found himself looking straight into a pair of eyes almost exactly like his own, but the pair of ice-cold eyes belonged to a young woman with long, sable hair blown back by the furious gust of wind, a cruel smile so vivid against the faint aurora of sunrise, and a pale, pointed face that was utterly familiar to the young man. She was the evidence that he was wrong, very wrong. All that had happened to him weren't part of a dream as he hoped they were; they were _real_.

"You're the one expected to carry on the legacy of the saiyajins?! You're the greatest hero this world has to offer?! How pathetic, for someone like you to be considered as such! You may have the potential, but potential alone is not enough. You're nothing but a purple-haired weakling to me... and for wasting my time, you are going to die."

Valkyrie was not only the evidence that he was wrong; she, too, was the evidence that he was soon going to be joining his family and friends in the Afterlife. And for the first time, he believed. He believed in her words, in what she had told him ever since the beginning of their confrontation. He was nothing, nothing but a purple-haired weakling. He was a pathetic creature of no significance, of no use.

And he, too, believed that she was truly a death goddess.

She stood in front of him with such grace that the young man had never seen before; it was as if she truly held his life in her hands, and that taking that away from him would be something like a second nature to her. Her sharp, piercing eyes were utterly capable of causing apprehension and uncertainty to whoever would stare at them, but he could not deny the fact that that specific pair of cold, blue-colored eyes were mesmerizing.

Her smile... bitter, sardonic and cruel it may seem, but the smooth curve of her lips seemed very comforting to someone in the demi-saiyajin's position --- someone who was at the brink of life and death, someone who was waiting for the final blow from its predator. And her voice, Briefs-Vegeta noticed for the first time, was no doubt a valuable weapon for her as well, as she had the uncanny ability to use it for whatever purpose she wanted to attain. To induce fear, to cause confusion, to ignite the flame of anger, to bring about helplessness, to drill unquestioning obedience, to give rise to despair, to generate passion, to block hesitation, to undo lies... and so much more.

Suddenly, he cried out pain; the maiden of death had just crushed his ribs with her foot, in hopes to snap him out from what she thought was a trance and to bring his attention back to the matter at hand. The smile he had wanted to see was dancing as gracefully as ever on her pallid features, illuminated by the sun that was slowing rising from the horizon that stretched behind them. 

"To the right, Briefs-Vegeta. Turn your head slightly to the right. Isn't it magnificent?" she began in a voice that was barely audible due to the howling wilderness wind. Her voice, this time, took a playful, enticing tone. "You better give it all your strength and fix it forever in your memory, dear warrior. After all, this sunrise is the last one you will see."

He obeyed, flickering his gaze without hesitation to the ball of burning gas that was starting off for its journey through the sky... and that was when something hit him. _Things end for new things to begin. At dusk, the day ends to make the night begin. At dawn, the night ends to make the day begin. The beginning of one thing marks the end of another; the end of one thing signals the dawning of another._

"Things end for new things to begin..."

Valkyrie looked down at him, the smile on her face twisting into a harsher one. "I'd have to agree with you on that. Things end for new things to begin. Your end, Trunks Briefs-Vegeta, will be the end of this wretched world you call your home --- and it will be our beginning. The beginning of a new world order, with Lord Hyouko Kaname as the supreme ruler. I won't forget to mention this to him; he will be very pleased to hear that you, in some way, recognized the future of this mudball of a planet." She spun around to glance at the rising sun, still smiling. "The time is now, the day is---"

The demi-saiyajin managed a weak smile. "You're... _wrong_."

At that, the female assassin fell on her knees, and then, on all fours. She forced her eyes to squint open, despite the sudden pain that erupted from a point on her back, and a hint of disbelief crossed her composed features, quickly doubled up by anger. Growling a curse, she struggled to rise, but her efforts were all in vain.

"Now I know your weakness," Briefs-Vegeta said with satisfaction. "You can't sense ki."

What hit her was no ordinary ki-blast; the demi-saiyajin, while putting up a barrier that would prevent her from reading his thoughts, had transformed the ki he was charging up without notice into the shape of a sword. Valkyrie, who was incapable of sensing ki, did not notice it at all, and when she turned around to face the sun, Briefs-Vegeta took the opportunity and stabbed her with the ki-sword.

But that sneak attack of his was not enough to stop her, as he, at that moment, was rapidly losing his energy. Soon, there was nothing left of his ki-sword but wisps of smoke from his hands, and that was when the infuriated predator howled ---

--- and pounced on her prey without a speck of hesitation.

Either that had been all a dream, or he was still dreaming, because he didn't hurt anymore.

He was lying on something soft, something very comfortable, and upon opening his eyes, he saw that he was on a bed. It was a very nice bed, in fact, with large and very soft pillows, and beautifully decorated blankets that definitely kept him warm throughout his sleep. Sunlight illuminated the room through stylish-looking windows draped with lavish curtains that matched all the hues of all the other equipment in the room.

Trunks sat up, rubbing the back of his head as he did so, when his gaze rested on a solemn-looking man who was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. He was about to ask aloud where he was and what happened, when the other told him that he would be leaving the demi-saiyajin for a moment to speak with his master. "Please, just relax and make yourself comfortable. You are in no danger here," he finished before he turned around and left.

At that, the young man got out of bed and examined himself, only to find that he was attended to very well. He no longer felt tickles of pain from his wounds and burns, and the parts that were supposed to hurt were well-bandaged. "Whoever did this must've done a lot of work," he told himself as he remembered the last few moments of the battle he was in before he passed out. 

Kasumi, who was furious beyond belief that he had outsmarted her by pulling off a sneak attack, had launched a beam that hit him full blast, a beam that most probably drowned him into a coma. Judging by the severity of his injuries because she could not sense ki, she concluded that he was dead, and she left him in the wilderness. 

"And whoever did this must be able to sense ki effectively too, to have found me when my power level was most probably hovering near zero," he added, very grateful that his life was saved, when he saw a pile of newspapers on one corner of the room, blazing with headlines about his mysterious death. He sighed as he scanned them one by one. "Alas, they can only speculate. Mr. _I'm-Going-To-Rule-This-World_ Kaname and his secretary will never admit they were resposible for my demise."

"Feeling better, Mr. Briefs-Vegeta?"

He flinched in surprise upon hearing the voice; it was female. Quickly, upon feeling that she was the _master_ the man earlier referred to and that she was his host, he folded the newspapers and stacked them back together at where he found them. "Yes, I'm feeling much better. Thank you very much for your kindness and hospitality," he said as he finished putting them back together. He then stood up and spun around to face her. "I really don't know how to repay you for saving my---"

His voice left him.

Trunks never realized that she was stunningly pretty in person --- shoulder-length hair in a rich chestnut color, dazzling emerald eyes, and a pale, pear-shaped face with rosy cheeks and a heartwarming smile. She was tall, although not as tall as he was, and had a slender build with the curves in just the right places that made her even more gorgeous to the young man's eyes.

However, a different expression swept the demi-saiyajin's face as he realized who she was. "Yumi Kaname. Daughter of Prime Minister _I'm-Going-To-Rule-The-World-And-I'll-Kill-You-To-Do-So_ Hyouko Kaname, I presume?" The smile on his face evidently turned bitter. "What did you save me for? To hand me over to your father so I can be executed in front of everyone, in live television, to demonstrate how much power he has, and the right way to make Japan --- and soon the rest of the world --- a better place?"

The other's lips were then pressed into a line, and she hung her head, sadness lined on her features. "I do not deny the fact that I am his daughter and that he has such principles in life. But I did not save you in the reason you believe in, and I am nowhere near delighted with his actions. In fact, I am ashamed, embarrassed, with what he has done --- to you, most especially."

His expression softened.

"Of course, I don't blame you if you don't believe me," she added, meeting his gaze.

"No, I believe you," Trunks found himself saying, holding her gleaming eyes with his own. He took a deep breath, uncertain of what to tell her next. "But I don't understand, why did you save me? There must be a reason, right? I mean, your father wants me dead, but you... you _saved_ me. Why?"

"Because I owe you my life, just like everyone else. You defeated the androids, and brought peace back to our world. By doing so, you saved our lives. Everyone else is just either too stubborn or too dense to realize it, and give you the credit you're due." She paused to walk away and stand by the window pane, gazing at the outside world thoughtfully. "I was... I was doing my early morning jogging when I stumbled upon you, and I'm glad I did. I wanted to take you to the hospital, but I knew that you were---"

Yumi froze.

"Yumi? Yumi, is there something wrong?"

She turned back to face him, her face as pale as sheet. "You _have_ to get out of here, now! They must not see you, they must not know you're here!" she exclaimed before she whirled back around and opened the window. "I'm sorry, Trunks, but you must go! This is the safest way out, there'll be coming from the other road, not that one over there. Please, you must leave right now!"

"What's going on---"

"I don't have time to explain! Leave, now, or you're going to get caught!"

Trunks did not know what was really going on, but the urgency in her voice told him that he had to leave. He bid a quick thank you and farewell, and then he flew out of the room. However, he did not go very far. Lowering his ki until it touched zero, he positioned himself against the wall just beside the window, taking extra care that he would not be spotted, and waited.

The door slammed open, then slammed shut.

"Yes, gentlemen? How can I be of service to you?"

"Back off, Jin!" a gruff voice exclaimed, and the demi-saiyajin was sure he heard a clatter of chinaware. "We're not here to see you, nor are we here to hang out with you. We were sent here by Mistress Kasumi to discuss very important matters concerning Master Hyouko with Lady Yumi, and we need to get the information we need as soon as possible. Now, where is she?"

"She's still asleep---"

"Then wake her up! This is urgent, Master Hyouko's life is on the line here!"

After a few more moments of arguing, another door slammed open, and Trunks was sure that, this time, it was the door of Yumi's room. He cocked his head to the side slightly to get a better view of the scene, and that was when he realized that the room he had been sleeping in belonged to Yumi herself. "No wonder the curtains and bedspreads are pink," he told himself before he focused on the situation at hand.

Yumi was simply furious. "My father and I agreed on this! I told him that I will not be involved in any of his schemes, and I will _not_ use my powers for his advantage, except to warn him if his life is in danger!" She placed both hands on her hips. "Tell Kasumi that! She has no right to send you goons and disturb me when I'm resting!"

"Lady Yumi, we were given strict orders. You will comply, or else, you will suffer greatly."

"Can't you get it into your head?!" she half-screamed in reply. "I said, I will _not_ use my powers for his advantage! I'm minding my own business, he must mind his own! We agreed on that!"

Suddenly, one of the visitors grabbed her hand and pulled her roughly towards him. He muttered in a low, lethal tone, "Just so you'd know, we were given the permission to use force if necessary. You will come with us, Lady Yumi. You will come with us, and show Master Hyouko and Mistress Kasumi the future in store for them! Do you understand, or not?!"

_Show the future..?_

"I will not!" she exclaimed indignantly, her voice firm and composed. "I will not, do you hear me?! Even if I know how to tap into my power correctly and see the future at will --- which I currently cannot do, thank you --- I will not use it for something I am not comfortable with! Do you think I'm comfortable having my father as Prime Minister? Do you think I'm comfortable of him approving that Mass Cleansing deal? Do you?!"

Three words from what she said struck Trunks very hard, giving the demi-saiyajin a new hope for his survival. He hovered there, his eyes wide in surprise and disbelief as the words rang continuously inside his head, over and over again. _See the future._

His trance was only broken when Yumi began yelping and screaming in pain. That was when his attention was snapped back into the scene that was going on, and the damsel in distress, in need of his assistance. "Hang on, Yumi... I'm going to save you," he whispered, powering up slightly and preparing to charge. "And I'm going to have a little surprise for Kaname and his pesky friends."

"Let me go! I said, let me go!" the young woman shrieked as she struggled to break free from the grip of her captors. But they did not show any sympathy for her, even if she was their master's daughter. They dragged her towards the door roughly, not caring if her muscles were strained from their effort.

"Is that what you goons were taught on how to treat women? If so, your sensei's pathetic."

Kaname's men stopped in their tracks; so did the younger Kaname. They brisking turned to see who it was, and by the window pane, they saw the man who was believed by all of Japan --- except a special few --- to be dead. Sturdy, muscular build; dashing, regal stance; neat lavender hair; gleaming sapphire eyes. There was no mistaking who it was.

"Trunks Briefs-Vegeta."

"Where are those idiots?!" Valkyrie exclaimed exasperatedly as she paced in front of Kaname with drastically narrowed blue eyes. "They should be here by now, what's taking them so long?! That mission wasn't so hard to accomplish!"

"Now, now, dear. Patience is a virtue."

She rolled her eyes, and said in a disbelieving tone, "Patience is a virtue, alright. But it's not the fact that I'm not patient; it's the fact that they're taking an extraordinarily long time to accomplish something as simple as convincing that daughter of yours to come here. And they're supposed to be part of that elite warrior team of yours?"

The fax machine beeped.

The young woman turned towards the machine, narrowed her eyes even more, and the paper came soaring towards her hand. She looked at it carefully, and her ice-cold sapphire orbs snapped open in utter shock. She began trembling, although she did her best not to show it, afraid that her reputation as the cool, composed one would be ruined --- and she did not want her master that she actually had something to fear.

"I-I think you should see this, my lord," she began in a slightly strained voice as she handed the piece of fax paper towards her master, who leaned forward to take it. His eyes, too, widened considerably in surprise and alarm, and he sported the same closed expression his right-hand warrior had. 

The message was at the middle of the paper, neatly written in small but legible letters. It was very short, very direct to the point, but it was the thought of _who_ sent it that caused the apprehension and discomfort. It read:

**Your 'future' is in my hands.**


	9. Alliance

**[Author's Note] **Another update! How do you like that? Consider this fast update as a present from me once again, for your support in this little fanfic of mine. *winks* Anyway, I'm glad you liked the previous chapter, and I'm sure Goten fans will like this one. Let's just say... there'll be someone joining the ranks from this point on. =P

You know I heart reviews, so... please do!

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**Hikari No Will Power**

_Act One, Chapter Eight  
_**One Surprise After Another! The Unlikely Alliance Of Trunks Briefs-Vegeta And Yumi Kaname!**

**  
Present Timeline**

"This shouldn't be hard. I'll just edge to that time machine slowly and quietly, and I'll be able to stuff it into this capsule. Trunks, I hope you're doing well out there," Goten whispered as he tiptoed towards the far end of the Capsule Corporation laboratory, which was supposed to be closed as the working hours came to an end. The room was dark, except for a few functional gadgets that brought about a minimum amount of light with their screens that lit up to show the information they held.

He made his way to the compartment at where he and Trunks believed the specially-made time machine was kept, doing so carefully so as not to bump into any of the test-tubes and equipment that could and would put him in trouble. Not only were the liquids contained in them dangerous, the elements and compounds that they were made of were as fragile as glass.

_"Oniichan!"_

The voice made Goten stop and roll his eyes. "Oh, great. It's the brat," he muttered under his breath as he slid past a table loaded with electronic equipment that he had never seen before. He then took a large step over a box of solutions stacked in covered flasks. "This isn't as easy as I thought it would be, with all these stuff around here..."

_"I know! You're up to something again! I'll tell Daddy!"_

_"Bra, that's not what you think! I was just getting something from the lab for my Physics project, am I not allowed to do that?!" _Goten heard his best friend reason out to his little sister. _"I'm not up to something, and I mean it! Now, I should ask, what are _you _doing here? Maybe _you _are the one who's up to something!"_

"Way to go, Trunks. Psycho that sister of yours," the demi-saiyajin mumbled to himself with a smile, stalking past a cabinet full of documents and research papers. As he did so, however, one folder fell out from the file, and his sensitive hearing enabled him to notice it. He spun around, picked up the document and was about to insert it back into the neatly-arranged files...

... when the name written on the folder caught his eye.

_No way, this can't be... _he thought to himself as he stared at the name, wondering if his eyes were deceiving him. But when he held up the folder to clarify if he was mistaken or not, he found out that he wasn't. The name he was seeing on the cover of the file was truly the name he thought it was, and it only meant one thing: she was ill. After all, why would Bulma conduct a research on that person if she wasn't suffering from a disease that would need scientific back-up for its cure?

The name? _Chichi Son._

Desperate to know what was truly going on and what was wrong with his mother, Goten hurried to the nearest lampshade to read the contents of the folder, but because he was not watching his step, he stumbled on another box of flask-stored solutions. And that, to his misfortune, caused a chain reaction, for when he fell, he knocked down a table that knocked down the table _next to it_. The domino effect continued, and he knew that there was no way out.

The breaking glass and falling equipment made Bra shriek, _"What was that?!"_

Goten knew that he could not escape... but he could _hide_.

Taking a second to slip the folder back into the pile of research materials, he rushed to the cabinet at the rear of the room, pulled it open, and slid inside. His heart began to pound furiously --- boy, was he in trouble now! The commotion outside made him feel much worse. There were hysterical screams, probably from Bra; loud, anger-filled curses, probably from Trunks; and thundering footsteps from all directions, probably from the research team and the rest of the employees working on the lowest floor, the basement.

He swallowed, very sure that he screwed it up. Praying that his best friend would be able to pull himself together and keep the situation at hand, and that Vegeta would not march right up the laboratory to investigate the matter, he slid his body completely into the closet, backing against some type of machine shaped like a door of a cave. 

"_Ow_," he mumbled as his head hit the top bar of the machine, and he crouched to fit himself in before he shut the closet. For a few moments, he just stayed there, unmoving, in a very uncomfortable position, his mind spinning as he thought of so many different things, from his mother, to the trouble he got himself in, to the time machine he was supposed to stuff into a capsule. And in his meditation, one question struck him hard. 

_Where was the time machine?_

Goten bit his lip as he snuggled closer to the back of the closet, in a futile attempt to hide from the trouble that was brewing in the outside world. "It's supposed to be here, Trunks said it was here. But all that's here... is an unfinished framework of some sort of doorway-type machine," he told himself, gripping one of the bars that supported the top arch and the bulge that was there.

The laboratory door slid open.

He saw white.

**Mirai Timeline**

Yumi Kaname was furious beyond belief. _The nerve?! How dare he?! _she thought, her eyes flashing angrily, and she began pounding her fists on her captor's back in no time. What he did just a few moments earlier greatly enraged her, as he picked her up and practically threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Who do you think you are to treat me like this?! Ooooh, just wait 'till I break loose, I am so going to beat you to a bloody pulp!"

Sporting a cocky grin, her abductor replied, "I'm the _Saiyajin no Ouji_."

"Okay, so you're a prince --- but does _that _give you a right to treat a woman this way, Your Majesty?! I don't think so!" she exclaimed in a stern tone. "Now, put me down so we can negotiate! If you won't comply, you might have a hot-blooded female assassin on your tail any moment from now! Just wait and see, just wait and see!"

At that, Trunks Briefs-Vegeta sighed heavily. "Alright, but we negotiate," he said in defeat, then he stopped and put her down. They looked at each other in silence for a few moments, his features as serious as ever. He decided to break the silence a short while after. "I _need _your help, Yumi. You know that I'm innocent, you know that I didn't do anything wrong. You know that I only want justice. Please, Yumi. You must help me using your gift, your gift to see the future."

She shook her head in reply. "It's _not _a gift, Trunks. If you only knew how... how hard it is to see people die, to see people get killed, to see children stumble to their deaths, to see women cry out in pain, to see men fall and falter in the hands of the Grim! It's not a gift, it's more of a curse to me!" she exclaimed in frustration, burying her face in her hands.

"It _is_ a gift if you decide to use it to help people," the demi-saiyajin corrected as he laid his hand softly on her shoulder. "I mean, look at me. I have a heritage that I never dreamed of having, a heritage that gave me abilities like no other, and caused so much pain in my life. I don't have any family left --- my father died fighting the androids, my mother died when I thought the trouble was over. But even so, I decided to use my power to help people, to free everyone from the clutches of evil, as it is my _gift_. And that's what I'm planning to do now."

"But you can't do that alone! Kasumi is someone you can't handle on your own, she's too powerful!"

"That's why I need your help. The order your father has established has a strong foundation, yes, but the pillar stands alone. That may be a strength to their eyes, as the pillar is thorougly independent, but it, too, is a weakness. Kasumi is the only person we have to destroy to bring the whole faction down, and that would be easier to accomplish with your help," Trunks reasoned out, his eyes flashing with determination.

"But I can't see the future at will, how will that help you?!" she exclaimed in frustration. "It's not that I don't want to help you. I'm just... afraid... afraid that I might put you in even more trouble, because of my lack of skill in controlling the power I'm gifted with."

Optimism shone in the other's eyes, as the young woman practically gave him a new hope in the battle he was in. He knew that with her by his side, he was no longer standing on the losing edge. "Your random visions are sufficient at that moment, and I'm sure you'll eventually learn how to use your power at will," he assured, smiling. "Besides, if I'm going to infiltrate the Kaname mansion, you can show me the secret entrances and the best way to get to where I want to be. That's how you can help me."

She looked at him.

"And in return," Trunks paused to take her hand. "I'll help you get your father back. I promise."

_What in the world happened?!_

Goten groaned as he lay flat on his back, staring at the ceiling in a dazed manner. He did not know nor understand what just happened to him, except that a few moments from now, the door would open up and that he was going to be in so much trouble. "So much for an easy job," he muttered to himself as rolled his eyes. He screwed up, and he screwed up big time.

_What was the white light all about? _he thought wildly, suddenly remembering the bright light that blinded him just as soon as he gripped one of the steel bars that supported the framework of the machine he huddled against. But then he pushed the thought away, assuring himself that he plainly hit his head again and he stumbled out of the closet, dazed.

He sat up, rubbing the back of his head as he did so, and took a good look around. It looked like a laboratory, all right, but it did not look like the place he was in just a few moments back. There were less equipment, less gadgets, less tables, less research papers. Plus, the room looked considerably smaller...

... and it had _windows._

At that, the demi-saiyajin paled. But before he was able to say anything, or think about the situation, he heard voices.

_"Then why did you fax them a message if you don't want them to know you're still alive?! I really don't understand how your mind works, Kami help me. I mean, you're trying so hard so you won't get spotted, and yet you sent them a message telling them that you have me?!"_

_"I said it indirectly, don't worry! And I'm sure they won't recognize my handwriting, I made it as stupid-looking as possible. In fact, I even planned to create a more creative message --- you know, cut letters from a magazine and paste them together to form the sentence --- but I didn't have much time."_

The girl was confused. _"What are you planning, then? Even if they won't recognize your handwriting, why did you inform them that you kidnapped me in the first place?! I have no idea of the stunt you're trying to pull up, and I'd really appreciate it if you'll explain it to me thorougly. After all, I'm supposed to be your partner from now on."_

_"A distraction, of course," _the young man said confidently in a voice that was so familiar to the demi-saiyajin. _"I have the feeling that your father will have Kasumi get you back, so she's going to be busy following all the leads, some of them in which I'll plant myself, to bring her as far away from us as possible. She won't think of me, of course, because she thinks I'm dead --- and she can't sense ki, so it's impossible for her to know that I have you unless they spot us. With her away, the mansion will be open for infiltration. Then I'll have the opportunity to prepare a trap for her return, enabling me to clear my name _and _have my revenge."_

Goten blinked, recognition hitting him.

He immediately bolted up, and headed towards the door. It was time to find out what exactly was going on, and if he was going to get killed for sneaking into the Capsule Corporation laboratory and wrecking havoc by accident --- and he was sure that nobody would believe that the mess he caused was by accident. Throwing the door open, he called out, "Trunks!"

They fell silent.

And they stared at Goten with puzzled looks.

The absence of people in the area made the demi-saiyajin smile in utter relief. "Boy, am I glad to see you! I thought for a moment that I was going to get murdered by your father for sneaking into the laboratory without permission and interrupting his _oh-so-holy _meditation in the Gravity Room," he mumbled as he hugged the other demi-saiyajin. "But you did a great job in covering up for me after all, thank you!"

"Who are you?"

Raven eyes narrowing slightly, he blurted out, "Haha, Trunks, that's a really funny joke you've got there! Look, I'm really sorry for screwing up. I tried _very hard _to get to the time machine, but there was this suspicious file about my mother that I wanted to check out. I stumbled on a box of flasks on the way to the lampshade to look at what's inside, and it caused a chain reaction. I then hid in the closet on which you said the time machine was in, but there was no time machine! Just some dumb stupid framework, a portal kind if I'm not mistaken..." his voice trailed off as something clicked into his brain.

He peered into Trunks' flustered eyes. "You really don't know who I am?"

"I'm sorry, but I really don't," the other demi-saiyajin answered, shaking his head. "You look awfully familiar, though."

Everything fell into place at that, and Goten's face became as white as sheet. His voice then dropped into a barely audible tone, and his eyes showed traces of disbelief all over. "So this is the android-infested timeline they have been talking about, then? The timeline in which my father died of a heart disease, my brother was your sensei, and I was never born?" he asked, earning a curt nod from the future counterpart of his best friend, who did so even if he did not understand everything Goten had mentioned.

"So Trunks was right. _That _was the time machine."

Azure eyes still as sharp and attentive as ever, Kasumi marched into the office of the Prime Minister, holding a piece of paper in her hand. She appeared calm and composed, as usual, but Hyouko knew her too well to notice that something was greatly bothering her. "My lord," she began, bowing slightly in front of her master. "the penmanship has been identified."

He put away the documents he was examining. "And?"

The young woman took a deep breath, preparing herself for an apology. She knew that her master could not afford to be mad at her, in fear that she would turn down his proposal, but she did not want to risk it. "I'm sorry, my lord, but apparently, the brat is still alive. He indeed has the will of the devil, as those who tried before me said."

"For him to survive an attack from you, he would have had much luck..." Hyouko began, his voice trailing off as his gaze darkened. He did not seem to mind that his best, most skillful assassin failed to eliminate someone as weak as the demi-saiyajin. "... and _help_."

"I believe that is so," she agreed, leaving the topic about her failure behind. Her glistening orbs immediately showed suspicion. "However, it seems to me that that _help _came just at the nick of time --- by accident, one may say, but isn't it too coincidental? Coincidental that his rescuer arrived at the right place and at the right time, as if he, or _she_, knew what was going to happen?"

The Prime Minister looked at her.

"I'm afraid that was no ordinary streak of luck for him, my lord. I strongly believe that there has been a conspiracy... and that an alliance has been formed between the King of the black pieces, and the Queen of our own." At that, she smirked, the previous failure forgotten. "I suppose the time is ripe for the White Knight to move out, reclaim the captured chess piece and have her revenge, Your Majesty?"

Hyouko's eyes were expressing utmost concern. "Take care of yourself, dear."

"Don't worry, my lord, never again will I commit that mistake," Kasumi assured him, the arrogant grin on her features back in full force. "I will not leave him in one piece... in fact, I will not leave anything of him at all."


	10. Sacrifice

**[Author's Note] **Alas, I have to go back to school tomorrow, so I'm afraid updates won't be that frequent anymore. This week is our chapter test week, and the next is our semi-final week. Then we start off with our final quarter, then we get finals on the first week of March, and... it's over! Academics-wise, I mean, cuz the last three weeks of March will be spent for practices for our school play. PLEASE pray for me that I'll get the lead female role! I'm dying to get it! *grins*

Well, now back to the fanfic. Act One, _Chikyuu no Fukkatsu _(Earth's Rebirth), is almost over. It lacks two chapters more after this one --- the tenth, and the finale. Act Two, _Ryuu no Densetsu _(Legend of the Dragon) will follow shortly. Whee, I'm excited! I hope you are too, and believe me, things will get even more interesting! I spent many nights staying up late, thinking of the plot, details, twists, and all! I'm really into this fic, you see. ^___^;;

I guess I shouldn't hold you back anymore, so I now bring you the new chapter! And I have the feeling you're going to be happy at the end of this one... _sort of_... so please review? You know I love you! *waves virtual chocolate bars around*

  
  
  


**Hikari No Will Power**

_Act One, Chapter Nine  
_**Suicide Missions And Unfavorable Proceedings! Briefs-Vegeta and Kanames' Perceptions of Sacrifice!**

**  
**"This Prime Minister of yours gives me the creeps," Goten commented with a shudder as he looked up from the newspaper he was reading --- one of the latest issues of _The Western Eye. _"Mass cleansing? Banning the use of weapons, eliminating all those who have committed crimes, putting to stop all forms of violence while those in power get to do them? What in the world is he thinking?! Killing criminals does not make one less a murderer!"

Dumping the edition with his _death _on the front page on the other's lap, Trunks nodded in agreement before he sat down beside his guest. "Yeah, he sure has a crazy way of making the world a better place. Unfortunately, almost everyone else thinks he's doing a great job, and that it's the most successful crime-extinguishing attempt so far in history."

The younger demi-saiyajin shook his head, then grimaced as he saw the bold, flashy headline of the issue he was given. "Looks like he got you too, huh?"

"Yeah, that scum," the other spat, his deep blue eyes glistening in anger. "His men murdered thirteen of my employees, then had me arrested for their crime. A really disgusting frame-up, I must say. It turned out that Mr. Prime Minister wanted me dead because I was powerful, and I could stop him from taking over the world. He then ordered his hotshot secretary to dispose of me, and she thought she did, just like everyone else except you and Yumi. She can't sense ki, you know."

"Ah." Goten then turned to look at him, shifting to another topic. "You're nice."

Trunks blinked. "Come again?"

"I said, _You're nice._ Didn't think you were, as my best friend never thought you were. He said you were too soft, and too caught up with your own wretched life. _An overintellectual bleeding heart_, those were his precise words. But now that I've actually met you, I think he's just somewhat... insecure. I mean, he's living in _your _shadow, when you're supposed to be one and the same." He sighed, putting the newspapers away and leaning back against the wall. "You can't blame him, though. He finds himself compared to you by his parents many, many times, telling him to follow your footsteps or something. It gets sickening, believe me. I, too, know the feeling."

"If he'll follow my footsteps, he'll end up dead, that's for sure," the older demi-saiyajin said, frowning. He knew who Goten was referring to, of course, and despite the fact that he was flattered to know that his parents in that timeline insisted that his counterpart follow him, he did not want the Trunks of that world to suffer as much as he had. Which was downright possible. "I'm dying every single day. Dying of loneliness, pain, suffering... I just haven't gotten around to lying down yet."

Silence.

"Is he really... living in my shadow?" he inquired as his curiousity took over. He could not believe how his counterpart, who lived happily in an android-free world with his family and circle of friends intact, ended up jealous of him.

At that, Goten nodded. "The Trunks I know is... well... different. Different from you, I mean. He's playful, always smiling, always up to something mischievous, and well..." his smile turned sheepish. "... very arrogant."

Trunks chuckled, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Very arrogant, huh? Allow me to tell you, my friend, that you haven't seen how cocky I can become." He then turned towards his visitor and smiled. "My counterpart in your time must be very lucky to have a friend like you. I mean, we just met and I already feel at ease with you, how much more him, when he has known you for years?"

"Yeah, he sure is going to miss me. I have the bad feeling I'm going to be stuck here for a _long_ time."

"The important components of the time machine that need fixing are only available at Capsule Corporation, which I don't own anymore, and that means I won't be able to get the new parts to repair the thing," the older warrior blurted out, shutting his eyes as if to rest up. However, the cocky smile so familiar to the newcomer leaked in. "Unless of course, we sneak in and grab them."

The other's raven eyes didn't appear too hopeful. "If you must know, the reason why I got zapped here was because I screwed up big time. My task was to sneak into the laboratory, conceal the time machine in a capsule so Trunks and I can take it to our school fair, but I caused havoc in the darkness. One thing came tumbling after the other, and I had to hide in the closet where the machine was supposed to be. What I didn't know was that I was standing right under it, as it was in a portal form, and it didn't take long for me to accidentally press the activation button. I'm guess I'm simply accident-prone."

"Nonsense," Trunks countered, his full attention now on his counterpart's best friend. "You say you're supposed to be my best friend in that timeline, right? Then that means you've been in and around Capsule Corporation countless times, and you must probably know the ins and outs of that place like the back of your head! We can then sneak in _and_ out without trouble! What do you say, buddy?"

"I'd say we have more pressing matters at hand."

As if by reflex, both warriors bolted up and turned towards the owner of the voice, straightening themselves as they did so. Goten, to the lavender-haired saiyajin's surprise, was immediately worried about how he looked. He was twisting and turning, checking if his clothes were soiled, if his trousers had creases that weren't supposed to be there, and the like.

Yumi, on the other hand, forced a smile, but it was evident that something was bothering her. However, upon seeing the startled reaction from her partner, she advised, "Don't panic. Not _yet_, that is." She then moved towards them, waving yet another newspaper in her hand and ignoring the way Goten stared at her. "This is today's issue of _The Western Eye. _Read it and tell me what we should do."

Their guest said nothing, but he threw his gaze towards the young man who stood next to him, the person who was obviously in charge. Trunks acknowledged the _look_ with a curt nod, and raising an eyebrow, he took what he was offered. It didn't take long for his eyes to find their landing spot, for to describe the headline as _catchy _was an understatement.

**Kaname Brings Forth A New 'World Order'**

_Executive Order 666, the 'Mass Cleansing Order' implemented by Prime Minister Hyouko Kaname shortly after he was sworn into office, had been implemented on other countries as of yesterday. Most leaders were impressed by the change that Japan went through in a very short span of time, and thus they decided to follow Kaname's footsteps, with the shared dream to "make the world a better place," quoted from the Prime Minister himself._

_President Peter Huntington of the United States of America sent an invitation to all the nation leaders for a conference that would be taking place at the White House in Washington, District of Columbia, on the 21st day of this month. "This matter must be discussed thoroughly with the other nation leaders, regardless of the danger that looms over us. I am willing to take the risk of being assassinated; I hope the others are, too. After all, this Executive Order might just be the key to unlocking the World Unification Act, the key we've been searching for a long time," Huntington said._

_Kaname's secretary, Kasumi Valkyrie, confirmed to the press last night that the Prime Minister will be leaving for the World Unification Conference tomorrow, with the promise that he "will bring glory to Japan and transform it into the heart of the planet."_

"Well?" she prompted, eyeing the two closely.

Trunks sighed heavily at that, before turning to their visitor. "Well, Goten, I'm afraid that your time machine will have to wait. There's someone we have to stop from leaving," he said grimly. "If Kaname gets to that World Unification Conference, the whole world will be put under that crazy scheme of his, and eventually, he'll manage to take over the other political systems! It'll be disastrous, his dream come true! And that means... we'll have to infiltrate the mansion _tonight_. We've got no other choice. We have to _sacrifice_."

"Tonight, Trunks?" Yumi interrupted skeptically. "But we need more time to prepare! We can't barge in there just like that! What if... what if Kasumi's there, when she's not supposed to be? What if she won't fall for the leads we've planted, and she decides to remain by my father's side? We don't stand a chance against her, you know that!"

"I don't really know what you're up to, but I have to agree with Trunks," Goten voiced out, looking at the young woman intently. "If that Kaname person is leaving tomorrow, then your only opportunity is tonight. At least you still have the rest of the afternoon to finalize things and get some last-minute measures done."

The Prime Minister's daughter spared a worried glance at Trunks. "Even if Kasumi's in the mansion?"

"You're the one who can see the future, you tell me."

The statement, however, which was supposed to be a light joke on Trunks' part, had a disastrous effect. It infuriated the young woman as soon as it came out of the demi-saiyajin's mouth. "Do I look like a television to you?!" she snapped, pointing a finger to herself in emphasis. "You can't just turn me on and check the news!"

She walked out.

  


_"I am pleased to note that _Prroject Chikyuuu_ is attaining completion soonerr than expected. Verry good, Kanrryuu. I knew I couuld couunt on youu," _the man in the holograph said in a heavily accented English. He was tall, slender in build, and extraordinarily handsome, and he looked almost exactly like an ordinary human being except for the rune-like tattoo on his sallow, pointed face and his eccentrically-shaped eyes.

Hyouko bowed. "This planet will be cleansed in your name, Most High."

The so-called _Most High_ looked extremely elated with it. _"Youu have indeed grrown uup, Kanrryuu," _he commented with a proud smile. _"The lessons of the _Exalted Orrderr of the Cosmos_ youu have alrready masterred. That, howeverr, is not the rreason why I contacted youu. In thirrty-six houurrs I want youu to be at the Arrcadia Obserrvatorry; I have an imporrtant message forr all the prroject leaderrs that cannot be rrelayed thrrouugh merre hologrraphic trransmissions. And imporrtant matterrs to discuuss as well."_

The Prime Minister's forehead creased noticeably. "Most High," he began in a slightly nervous tone, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. "I am supposed to leave tomorrow morning for the United States of America to attend the Chikyuujins' _World Unification Conference_. The meeting you are calling for is very important, yes, but Project Chikyuu will fail if I do not make it to the said conference."

_"Then send yourr rright-hand warrrriorr in youurr place,"_ the other retorted with an amused grin, his golden eyes flashing knowingly. _"If this Ten-Thirrteen is indeed the all-arrouund warrrriorr so many of ouur frriends speak of with fearr and rrespect, then she will be able to handle the matterr that will be discussed, and stand on youurr behalf as if youu arre trruuly prresent. Thirrty-six houurrs, Kanrryuu. Do not fail me."_

"I hear and obey, Most High."

_"Historry is on the move, Kanrryuu. Those who cannot keep uup will be left behind, to watch frrom a distance. Helpless, uunable to do anything buut mouurrn forr what they have lost. And those who stand in the way... _will not watch at all_."_

The transmission ended.

Azure eyes narrowed in a dangerous manner, Kasumi stepped up from behind him, pushing away the cloak of darkness that concealed her from the eyes of the _Most High. _She folded her arms in front of her chest indignantly. "I am _not_ in favor of that plan of his, my lord. Not because I doubt him, or I have suspicions in his actions, but I simply cannot afford to leave you here alone --- with these _idiots _who can barely defend themselves."

"Kasumi, dear, there is no need for you to worry. I will be safe here. The members of the _Special Defense Unit _have been stationed many hours back, and they know what to do in case some assassination attempt will take place," Hyouko assured as he sat down on his reclining chair. "You have to go to him, dear. To disobey the Most High would be to wish for our death."

She snorted quietly, disbelief carefully concealed in her features. She had the feeling that she was stronger and more powerful than the warrior who claimed to be the Supreme Overlord of the _Exalted Order of the Cosmos _on which the Ryuujins firmly believe in. She decided to put her thoughts on that matter aside, however, and focus on the situation at hand. "What about Briefs-Vegeta, my lord? I am the only one who can stop him."

"We are the one after him, dear. Not the other way around."

"Or so you think," she snapped. At that, she looked out of the window, and into the mass accumulation of buildings that distinguished Capitol --- or _Tokyo_, as it was known to the rest of the world --- from the other cities of their nation. "I _know_ how the brat thinks, my lord. The leads Gashakura and his men found are false, planted by Briefs-Vegeta himself to lure us away from where he truly is... or _where he is planning to strike_." 

She paused, turned around, and sat down on Hyouko's desk, pulling out a piece of paper from the pocket of her blazer and setting it down on the smooth wooden surface. "They found four leads, the last of which is the one they firmly believe him to be hiding. However, it, too, is the area furthest away from your residence. Don't you see it, my lord? That's what he wants us to believe in. That he's there in that secluded mountain town, with Yumi, and that you'll have to send me out to get them, leaving you alone and vulnerable to his attack."

"Nonsense, dear. I believe you are overestimating the kid," he blurted out, shaking his head. He then smiled. "There is nothing for you to worry about, nothing at all. Now that I'm Prime Minister, I am in charge of this country's military force --- they are for my use, and for my disposal. All of them, from the _Special Defense Unit _to the _Air Force._ I will use them for my advantage, and for the fulfillment of our cause. Their focus is to protect me, my focus is to put the _World Unification Act _into action, and your focus is to attend the conference the Most High has called you for."

"Can't we just switch?" Kasumi asked, still skeptical about the idea. She stood up and began pacing in front of the Prime Minister worriedly. "I attend the _World Unification Conference,_ and you go to the meeting the Most High called for? It's safer for you that way, at least we won't have to worry about Briefs-Vegeta. You will leave tonight, on my personal starfighter, and I will stay here to confront the brat when he comes."

"It's not that I don't trust your instincts, dear, but I _have_ to attend the _World Unification Conference_, whether you like it or not. Sacrifice, dear, sacrifice," Hyouko said as if he was talking to a six-year-old who had no idea about how the world works. He then stood up, a stubbornly determined look in his eyes. "I'm going to the White House, you're going to the Arcadia Observatory. And that's _final_."


	11. Turmoil

**[Author's Note] **I'm sorry for the late update everyone, I was supposed to have this up by yesterday, but I got stuck with the last scene. I HATE SCHOOL! *clears throat* Anyway, since this is the second to the last chapter of Act One, it pretty much has the most scenes yet. Usually I only have two to four, but now there are... *counts* six! If I counted it right... *sweatdrops*

What can I say? I'm excited to get this Act done! And believe me, Act Two is even more interesting! It'll have more action, more battles, and let's just say that a new character will join the ranks of Trunks, Goten and Yumi. And of course, a new villain, who's stronger and a whole lot nastier than anyone they've fought.

So... I guess that's all I have to say for now! Please review! =P

* * *

**Hikari No Will Power**

_Act One, Chapter Ten  
_**New Missions, New Allies, New Enemies! Turmoil Explodes In The Kaname Stronghold!**

**  
**Two members of the Special Defense Unit walked towards the main entrance of the Prime Minister's mansion, leaning on each other for support. Their commander was raising his eyebrow at them at their approach, but the taller one brought news that shocked the other upon its utterance. "We were attacked, sir! My partner here is heavily injured, and if I am not mistaken, it was Briefs-Vegeta, sir!"

Panic swept the Unit Commander's face. "Where?! Where is he?!"

A smirk appeared on the _injured_ member's pale features, which was hidden away a second after it existed, and lifting his head to gaze into the commander's eyes that were already filled with panic and fear, he whispered in a low-key voice, _"Right here."_

Closing her cold, cobalt-colored eyes, Kasumi leaned against the pilot's seat of her starfighter and went into meditating trance, in her attempt to push away the feeling of dread that had been lingering around her ever since she left for the Arcadia Observatory. She had the hunch that something was going to happen to her master, but she wasn't able to convince him to switch places with her. 

_Earning the pleasure of the gods and claiming the whole of Chikyuu for himself is more important to him than his own life_, she thought, sighing. Sometimes she just could not understand how Kanryu's mind worked, but she knew that she would definitely be damned if she would disobey his orders. She sighed. _For him, orders are orders. Nothing can make him change his mind._

She opened one eye to look at her ship's chronometer, and afterwards she flickered her gaze towards the electronic map, as its monitor was just beside the device she wanted to take a look at. Then, she frowned, and realizing the problem at hand, she snapped out of her rest and seized the controls. "If I don't find a short cut, I am so going to hell," she muttered angrily as she studied the map, thinking of the fastest way to get to the rendezvous point of the said gathering.

She knew that the flight from Chikyuu to Elysia would take thirty-three hours, so she used the extra three hours into setting the necessary traps that would protect her master in case the brat Briefs-Vegeta would infiltrate the mansion at her departure. What she forgot to do, however, was to do a thorough check-up on her starfighter, and now the leak in her fuel tank was causing her a terrible headache.

_Damnit, I can't make it to Elysia with just this amount of fuel! The furthest I can reach is most probably Kuzure'odai, but what good would that do to me?! Elysia is still off-range from there, I can't teleport! Damnit, damnit, damnit! _she thought with gritted teeth, one hand clamped furiously on the directional control, the other clasped on her side so hard, it was already numb. _Plus, Kuzure'odai is nothing but a breeding ground for the Ryuujins, there definitely won't be any facilities to refuel this blasted thing or get it fixed! Damnit!_

Kasumi then shifted to a more comfortable position, her tail shifting to one as well, and then she shut her eyes to think. She ran through all the options her mind offered, and when she came up with a decision, she opened her cerulean orbs, determination brimming. She knew that her decision might get her killed, but she knew that she could make that possible death _count_. 

Yanking the directional control towards her made the starfighter execute a complete 180, and in perfect synchronization, she punched a certain sequence of buttons on the control board, and the ship plumetted forward. She continued to apply force on the throttle, making the ship cut through space in an astounding speed and travel back to where it came from.

Earth.

"Come on, let's split up."

The younger of the two demi-saiyajins regarded Yumi with his raven eyes, and then he smiled. "Anything else I should know before I go up there? Like some bits and pieces of your vision that you haven't mentioned, or something?" he asked, sparing a second to look at the other young man. "Cuz if there isn't anything more, I'm going."

"Just be careful. If I get another vision, I won't be able to warn you anymore when it comes. I guess that's just it," Yumi replied, nervousness evident in her features. She then moved forward and gave him a hug. "Take care, Goten. You shouldn't really be doing this for me, but I'm glad you are. I really appreciate it."

"Yeah, we really appreciate it, buddy," Trunks added, nudging the younger warrior in the ribs before he, too, enclosed him in a hug. "We're going to need all the distraction we can get, as there are a gazillion of SDU members around here. Our distraction plus yours will hopefully do the trick, and give us a clear shot."

Goten laughed. "This is better than mourning over being stuck here in your timeline, you know?" He then took a deep breath. "Well, my friends, it is time for me to go and get my mission done. I'll see you back there in two hours, as planned. Unless of course, things will go _as_ planned. And you two better take care; I'd hate to play the hero and rescue you."

He took off.

At that, Trunks smiled, then turned to her and waved his hand casually. "There he goes. Well, hands out, please. I gotta tie you up to make things look convincing," he blurted out, and in a few moments he managed to bind Yumi's hands together in a tight manner. Of course, it only _appeared _to be tight; Trunks wasn't crazy enough to really tie her up for good. "Well, then, let's go. I'm sure Goten started with his job already."

The path towards Hyouko's private chamber was more of a maze, but Yumi, his daughter, knew them by heart that she and Trunks were able to avoid running into dead ends. However, the trip still took them a while, but not as long as she expected it to take. Most of the SDU members who were guarding the premises were already out cold, and they could not stop themselves from smiling. Goten was truly doing his job, and he was doing it well.

Yumi was startled to find some booby traps in the area, as she knew for a fact that there weren't supposed to be any, but it they didn't have to worry about it because the said traps already served their respective purposes. There were SDU officers hanging from the ceiling of the dark passageway, a few pinned to the wall by barely visible laser beams, and those who were supposed to be in their stations were nowhere to be found. 

"It must be a trapdoor or something. I mean, there are supposed to be three guards here."

"Well, that's something we don't have to fall for," Trunks blurted out cockily, and without saying anything more, he swept her off her feet and carried her, hovering a few inches up in the air. "_This _way we won't fall into any trapdoors."

The Prime Minister's daughter was glad that the area was unusually dim, for her face was in a very deep shade of red that she did not want to imagine. She had only been with him a few days, a few days with the so-called _convict on the run_ --- and one who was exceedingly arrogant, at that --- but she felt as if they had bonded in some manner. He wasn't psychic, she was sure of that, but he had managed to guess what she was thinking of a couple times the past days.

_No way, I'm not believing this. I, Yumi Kaname, daughter of the Prime Minister of Japan --- who unfortunately, has a really creepy notion of making the world a better place --- and Trunks Briefs-Vegeta, former CEO of Capsule Corporation and convicted murderer, together?! That simply doesn't fit. We simply don't fit together._

Then, to her surprise, a new voice flooded into her senses. 

_Yes we do._

Her immediate reaction was to scowl at the demi-saiyajin who was carrying her carefully in his arms. "_Shut up,_ Trunks. I'm not in the mood to toy around with you. We're here for an important cause, not for some sappy and fluffy moments that will make our relationship blossom," she muttered, saying the last few words with much sarcasm --- only to be met by the other's confused stare. Then she added with her thoughts, _Hmph, stop pretending that you don't know what I'm talking about, baka!_

"On second thought," Trunks suddenly announced as he came to a halt, smirking down at the young woman in his arms, "this cause we're here for can wait. So why don't we settle down for a few moments and have some sappy and fluffly moments that will _make our relationship blossom?_"

She glared at him, intimidated by his words. "I absolutely have _no _reason to like an _egotistical maniac_ such as yourself!" she spat, emphasizing her words as much as she could to drill her point into his head. "Our future is at stake in this mission, and all you think of is settling down and having fluffy moments?! Typical thing a _senseless guy_ like you would say!"

At that, Yumi had crossed the line, and the demi-saiyajin was thinking of dropping her to the ground in his anger. However, for some reason he did not want to so as much cause her a bruise, or to hurt her in any way. He then resorted to a verbal counterattack, as it was the safest way to play the game. "_Me?!_ An _egotistical maniac?!_"

"Trunks, watch it!"

The warning was too late, as the demi-saiyajin was faster than the vision itself. His feet already touched the ground when Yumi screamed to alert him, and the trapdoor that was just beneath them was activated that very instant. It all happened too fast that Trunks wasn't able to do anything anymore --- and neither did Yumi.

The darkness closed on them.

Red lights flashed inside the starfighter in warning, and Kasumi's eyes narrowed considerably as they did so. It didn't take her long to spot where her opponents were situated, for there were specks of black and gray clashing against the blue-white appearance of Chikyuu-sei. She did not plan to attack, or go anywhere near the offensive, but when bolts began raining on her ship, she decided to fight back.

The exchange began, and ascended to a level of very high intensity. As the battle raged on, a question raged in the female assassin's mind as well. _"What the hell is going on here?!"_ she voiced out to no one in particular as she desperately tried to avoid getting killed. Exceptional though she was at flying, she was nothing compared to a dozen starfighters with higher firepower than that of her ship. And that was what she was facing.

One of the alien crafts streaked past her, and the emblem at the lower right part of its hull made a cold feeling surge through her. _Ryuujins,_ she gasped in recognition, but that alone was not enough for her to figure out the whole ordeal. _But what are they doing here? What do they want? And most importantly, why are they shooting me?! We're supposed to be allies, not enemies! Unless... unless they don't know that I'm the one piloting this blasted ship!_

As she desired, her communicator flew to her hand, and she quickly switched to the outgoing channel. But she never got the chance to identify herself, for as she spared a side-glance at the monitor, to check if she was using the right channel, a proton torpedo emerged from out of nowhere and shot straight towards her starfighter... for the _kill_.

"Great, just _great_," Yumi grumbled as squatted in a boyish sort of manner. "Now we're _really _settled down."

That was the opportunity the demi-saiyajin chose to make a move on her. He sat down beside her and smirked. "Can we get on with the sappy and fluffy moments, then?" he asked, winking at her, which was still evident as the compartment was dimly-lit like the passageway above it. The only difference was, there seemed to be no way out.

Infuriated, the young woman sprang to her feet and tackled the young man, sending him to the floor with her on top of him. She was glaring at him sharply, her ravishing emerald eyes sparkling in anger. "How contemptuous can you get?! You certainly haven't tried having your ego deflated, huh? Well, let me tell you this, _jerk_, you're nothing more than a parsimonious glory hunter who's utterly concerned with _looking good _rather than---"

**_Eccentrically-shaped eyes. Colorful, intertwining tattoos. On a face. _**

**_A face. Sallow. Pointed. Alien._**

**_"Kanrryuu..." it hissed, raising an alien hand and pointing its sleek, black talons towards another face --- a pale, fear-laden face, containing a familiar pair of olive eyes. "Youu disobeyed the Most High. Yourr reprresentative forr the conferrence He called for has abandoned herr couurrse and set off to an uunknown destination. She is suupposed to be therre, Kanrryuu. She is suupposed to obey the Most High's orrderrs --- and herr disobedience is youurrs as well. And forr that one act, youu shall die. Painfuully, as it is suupossed to be."_**

**_Something whipped from behind it. _**

**_A tail. Thin, yet long, with devilish-looking spikes. Dragon-like. Alien._**

**_The victim spoke, in a voice brimming with dread and panic. "I don't know what you're talking about! I sent Ten-Thirteen to Elysia, she just left a few hours ago! I told the Most High she was going, and I know she will never disobey me! She must be taking another route, to get there faster, and at the moment she might still be in another sector of hyperspace---"_**

**_There was black. There was red. There was white._**

**_And then... there was none._**

"Yumi, come on, snap out of it! What is it, what's going on?!"

The nothingness faded into a world that contained something --- light, at first, then came the colors, and lastly, Trunks' face. His features were brimming with the utmost concern. In fact, it looked as if he was on the brink of breaking down. Yumi's heart was pounding, however, and she gripped the demi-saiyajin's arm hard. She wanted to tell him, but she hesitated. There was no was he was going to help her...

... but she had to _try_.

"What's wrong?! Come on, Yumi, say something!" Trunks half-screamed in a demanding tone, his voice heavily strained.

She smiled weakly, a seemingly distant gleam still present in her eyes. "I... I'm fine, Trunks. I just had a vision, that's all," she assured him, sitting up with his help. However, the young man clearly sensed that the vision struck her hard, and so he asked her to tell him all about it. There was silence for a few moments, and finally ready to tell him what she wanted to, she choked out, "It's... my _dad_. Someone's going to kill him."

The concern on his face faded away, replaced by an amused, pleased grin. "And about time someone does!"

"YOU JERK!" she bellowed, slapping him with all of her might, in utter fury. She then bolted up, pushing him away, looking down at him with disgust lined in her features before she rushed to one corner of the compartment, slumped against the wall, and hung her head in silence, allowing the darkness to enclose her as tears sprung out of her eyes. _And I thought he cared!_

Something was definitely wrong, and Goten felt it as he advanced towards the unusually quiet chambers of Hyouko Kaname, Prime Minister of Japan, and the person responsible for his friends' suffering. Included in that was Yumi herself, as the young woman admitted that she had been suffering for a long time due to the fact that she had been neglected by her own father all those years.

However, the closer he was to the room, the faster and harder his heart pumped. _I have a bad feeling about this, _he thought, taking deep breaths to compose himself. For a few moments, he merely stood in front of Kaname's room, debating with his inner self whether he should go inside and check things out or not. His missin was done, supposedly, and all he had to do was go back to their meeting place, but there was something urging him to do otherwise.

He was already suspicious as soon as he reached the passageway leading to the villain's hiding place, for the warriors who were supposed to be defending the Prime Minister were already dead, if not, caught in the traps that were set in the area --- the traps that were meant for Trunks, not for them. The sight of the dead SDU members and the activated traps made Goten come up with the theory that someone already came before him.

Someone out to _kill _Kaname.

The demi-saiyajin's eyes fell on a body part that twitched uncontrollably by the door, as if it was struggling to return to its owner and get its life back. It was no ordinary body part, however, and the sight of the scaly, amputated organ --- which was around two feet long and with nasty-looking spikes --- made Goten swallow.

It was a tail.

A reptile's tail.

_Alien._

It was enough to make the hair at the back of Goten's neck stand, and shive run down his spine. Without a word, without thinking, an action completely out of reflex, he dashed towards Kaname's private chambers. He didn't really know what he would do once he'd get there, or what he'd find, but he knew he had to be there. _Kami... please, don't let me be too late..._

The sight that greeted him when he pushed the door open was simply sickening. The room was a mess, with broken windows and ripped curtains, as well as upside-down furnitures and wrecked appliances scattered and thrown all over the area. There, too, was blood all around, and the things that made the demi-saiyajin want to simply throw up.

Wriggling, squirming, squiggling _tails._

And in the middle of it all, a broken sword of the Japanese kind clutched tightly against his chest as if he was holding on to it for his life, was the victim of the vicious assassination plot. He was as white as sheet, perhaps even whiter than a ghost, although Goten could not clearly tell how pale he had become, for he was covered in blood. Perhaps it was his own, perhaps it was of those who tried to kill him, but Goten knew he could never be sure. 

There was only one thing he was sure of.

The victim was Hyouko Kaname.


	12. Last Stand

**Hikari No Will Power**

_Act One, Finale  
_**Anger, Sorrow, Pain and Tears! Hyouko Kaname's Last Stand!**

**  
**Yumi screamed.

Her voice, sharp and shrilly mainly due to the panic and fear rippling inside of her, came like a slap on Trunks' face, with even a greater intensity than the one she rendered to him a few moments back. Panic was contagious, the demi-saiyajin knew, for in no time, he found himself hurrying to get to her.

Ever since the incident in the trapdoor compartment --- where, Trunks knew, he acted like a total jerk --- she refused to talk to him, no matter how hard he tried to open up a new topic. When he finally blasted themselves out, she went on her way, without even thanking him for the gesture. He understood it perfectly, however, and he decided that the first thing he was going to do when the fuss would all be over would be to _apologize_.

Since the young woman knew the area by heart, she made it through the passageway without breaking a sweat, while the young man fell into the other traps that weren't activated yet. He successfully dodged a few by his quick reflexes and by throwing random ki-blasts around the area, but unfortunately, he got caught in most of them, as his thoughts were far away from the situation at hand.

_Damnit, I gotta get to her fast! _he thought furiously as he scurried to get to her, as the warning bell at the back of his mind rung like there was no tomorrow. It was beginning to get deafening, but it, too, pushed him to go even faster than ever. He knew that despite the way he had been acting towards her, he would never be able to forgive himself if she would get hurt. _I dragged her into this mess, after all... _kidnapped_ her, to be precise._

Finally, he turned around the last corner of the dark, passageway, and in no time, stepped into the light. He found Yumi standing just a short distance from him, in front of a grand-looking door leading to the older Kaname's private chambers. She was shaking, however, from head to foot, and her hands were clasped over her mouth as if she was trying to stop herself from screaming even more. When he walked up to her side, she held out a hand and extended a quivering finger towards the thing in front of them.

"What the hell---"

It was a _tail._

The warning song, which pounded in the demi-saiyajin's head, grew even louder than ever, until it was the only sound he could hear. All the other noises in the world disappeared into the said song, as it played over and over in the young man's mind. And as if guided by it, his gaze flew from the amputated organ towards the door, and without a word, he rushed forward and flung it open. He did not know what lay beyond the door, but he did not get the time to think about it.

As the door flew open, the symphony in his head died down, and the next thing he heard was Yumi's scream.

_"Father!" _she called out, color draining from her face as she ran towards the fallen man, who was being supported by Goten. She took her father into her arms as soon as she got to him, tears spilling out of her eyes. Even if Hyouko had never been the man she wanted him to be --- a good father, that is --- she was still her father, and that was what counted at the moment. "Father, please, don't do this to me!"

Her voice sounded like music to the older man's ears, and weakly, he forced his eyes to open. He then ran a hand through her cheek, smiling up at her, despite of the situation he was in. "Yumi... You look so much like your... your _mother_," he whispered, his voice barely audible due to the massive energy he lost at the battle that took place.

"Father, father, don't talk, I'm begging you! I don't want to hear what you have to say, I just want you to live!" she implored, more tears falling out of her ravishing, verdant eyes that were staring at him with love and compassion. "When you're all better, we can talk about it --- and we can get revenge on those who did this to you! But you have to live, you have to get past this!" She then looked up to her friend, who was standing by her side for support. "Goten, please, let's get him---"

"No... We _have_ to... talk," Hyouko interrupted, his eyes flashing with the same degree of stubbornness he was known for. His gaze then moved towards the lavender-haired, blue-eyed demi-saiyajin, who stood further behind the others with an expression of utter confusion. After all, he didn't know whether he was supposed to be glad of his predator's downfall... or whether he was supposed to sympathize with the Prime Minister's daughter who was crying her heart out. "Briefs-Vegeta... It was... my mistake. The Most High... _Ryuurai_... He will... He will... He will in---"

But he never got the opportunity to relay the message. He never even got the time to finish the last syllable of the most important word he wanted to say to Trunks, which was the most urgent detail at that said moment. He wanted to relay it badly, as he cared for the citizens of Japan nearly as much as he cared for his daughter, but he was deprived of the chance.

A fast-acting venom dart struck him in the arm, precisely in the point in which it was meant to hit.

And at very moment, Hyouko knew that the message he was trying to relay would never, ever leave his lips, as the dart was programmed not only to kill, but to stop the utterance of things that would cause harm to those who were after him. He felt his muscles contract, and his body convulse in response to it. The color that was left on his face was quickly drained from it, and his eyes were losing the last ounces of life in them. He was growing stiff, growing cold... and he knew that he had only a few moments left before he would slip into the grasp of death.

There was only one alternative left, and Hyouko knew that it was his last chance. Sweeping his gaze towards the demi-saiyajin, who bent down to rip the dart from his arm, he muttered in a voice barely above a whisper, "Tell Kasumi... Tell _Kasumi_..."

"I will."

A tail whipped from the shadows, alerting both demi-saiyajins by the faint echo if it. "No, Goten, you stay with Yumi, and see what you can do with him. I'll check it out," Trunks quickly volunteered, looking at the three of them with a serious expression on his features before he charged up and sprinted out of the window, in pursuit of the mysterious assassin.

On the other hand, Hyouko's vision was slipping away, as he himself was falling into the darkness. Everything else in began to disappear from his view, except for the face of his beloved daughter, who was nearly the mirror image of his wife, Kisei. He reached out for her, to touch her for the last time. "I love you..." he murmured inaudibly, referring to the most important women in his life. His wife, who he loved dearly, and his daughter, who bore his beloved's face.

"Father, no, please! _I love you_, don't do this to me! Please, hold on! You have to hold on!"

_Forgive me, Yumi. Forgive me, Briefs-Vegeta. I had no choice in the matter. I had to obey Ryuurai or my daughter would pay the consequences. She's means so much to me, she means _too_ much to me. _He wanted to explain, he wanted to tell them, but he no longer had the strength to do so. His eyes, unwilling though he was, fell shut. The rest of the world slipped with him. Not only his sight and hearing disappeared, but as well as his dreams, his aspirations, and his plans for the future. They all faded away into the darkness, the same darkness that engulfed him in eternal rest.

Suddenly, there was a faint glimmer of hope in the realm of oblivion. A voice. The voice of someone he loved, and someone he cared for. The voice of someone who had been intensely loyal to him, and someone who had done so much to please him. Someone who he was in debt to.

_Master?_

But there was nothing he could do with it. He could not grasp it, as his strength was failing him. His telepathic link with her, too, was shutting down, another aspect failing him. A few precious seconds was all he had left, and even if his world was practically going in slow motion, he knew it wasn't enough. It just wasn't enough.

_Goten Son... Goten Son..._

And those words were his last.

There was anger, and sympathy. There was hate, and love. There was sadness, and joy. And above them all, was _confusion._

Trunks did not understand what he felt, and most especially what he felt towards _Kaname._ He hated the man, as he was the one who made his life a living hell. He was mad at him for making him suffering, and he was happy that he was finally dead. But somewhere inside him, he felt rueful. Seeing Yumi in tears made him feel that way, and her cries made him sympathize with her. He didn't want to see her cry, he didn't want to see her hurt.

Because he loved her.

"YOU!" he called out upon spotting the assassin, who was standing at the edge of the mansion's balcony, as if it was going to jump and kill himself. He came to a halt a short distance away from it, and clenched his fists in fury. "Who sent you?! What did you do to Kaname?!"

It hissed, its tail swishing about. "It is none of youurr buusiness, brrat," it spat in an odd, English accent. Then, it turned around to face him, revealing its hideous-looking alien face to the demi-saiyajin. "Buut youu have witnessed something that youu shouuld not have. And forr that, youu muust die."

In a blink of an eye, it charged. The other warrior, however, was faster than it was. Trunks disappeared, then reappeared a moment later behind it, his face a mask of anger. "Nobody crosses a saiyajin," he began, saying each word with intense emphasis, "and gets away with it. KIENZAN!"

Its tail broke off, and a short while after, it _died_.

"It's not fair, not fair... He didn't deserve to die, he didn't deserve to die..." Yumi sobbed as she flung herself into Goten's arms.

The demi-saiyajin felt awkward at the young woman's sudden move, but he soon relaxed and allowed her to spill whatever she felt at the moment. He stroked her hair to comfort her, and rocked her gently while he did so. "It's alright, Yumi... Just cry, it's alright..." he whispered, his voice soft and soothing. "It's alright..."

A short way off, just outside the room by the balcony's window, Trunks hung his head and turned around, his heart wrenching painfully. Yumi, the girl he had fallen in love with in an unbelievably short span of time, thought he was such a jerk --- which he truly was --- and she had feelings for someone else.

_And that someone else happens to be my counterpart's best friend_, he thought, clenching his fist as he sat down at the balcony's railing, ignoring the still-wriggling tail of the alien assassin. However, he took a deep breath and unclenched his hand. _No. Goten has nothing to do with this. It's not his fault that Yumi likes him --- I'm simply a jerk._

He looked up at the dark sky, his azure orbs sorrowful and lonely.

"I guess I'm destined to be alone for the rest of my life."

* * *

**[Author's Note] **And that brings Act One to a close --- but don't worry! There will be more chapters to come, as Act Two will definitely be longer and more action-packed! There'll be cute, fluffy moments; a great deal of angst; action and suspense plus space battles (Yes, I love Star Wars!); and most of all, ROMANCE! Try to guess the pairings, I'm sure you'll be able to. =P

Let's see... I know, Trunks was just a bit too mean in this fic, but well, my excuse is, he doesn't really know how to deal with women! And he's very straightforward and very frank, so he doesn't realize until it's too late that he already hurt the girl, and that makes him somewhat a jerk. As for Goten, I'm building his Casanovic image in which he is known for in GT, so expect him to go flirting with random girls in Act Two. Well, not really 'random,' but you get the point. *grins*

Now, I need your opinion. Remember 'Fueled by Anger, Driven by Despair,' that angsty G/V fic of mine --- in which I got a lot of amusing comments from angry readers? Well, I'm thinking of putting this fic into some sort of Hiatus mode, so I can work on the sequel of the fic I mentioned, 'Killing Me Softly.' Opinions, please?

Thanks for your support, guys! =P


	13. Invasion

**Hikari No Will Power**

_Act Two, Prelude  
_**After Kaname, An Even Greater Evil Arises! Prepare To Stop The Invasion, Chikyuujins!**

**  
**Her body shuddered and convulsed; once, twice, and yet again. Asleep though she was, a tremendous amount of energy continued to radiate from her, causing an almost transparent aura to flare up from the depths of her being. There was a buzzing sound that echoed amidst the silence, the circling and cackling of static around her...

... and a short while later, it stopped.

Her dream, the dream she had been having in a seemingly endless cycle of crests and troughs, had gone back to its equilibrium position, to its starting point. The violent body convulsions she had been having came to a halt, but it wouldn't take long for them to start up once again. No matter how desperate she was at waking up, she found herself unable to, as if someone had bound her to the flashes of light she was seeing. 

She didn't know how long she had to endure the torture; she didn't know how long she can stand it, to be precise. The dream was too much for her to take. It replayed in her head like a corrupted transmission, and it began, flowed and ended the same way, every time.

At a certain point in the cycle of mental images, she reached out desperately to the person it revolved around, calling out to him repeatedly until her lungs were ready to burst and collapse. However, her efforts were all in vain, for she never received a response --- a response to her cries, that is, for the words she would hear after every single one were:

_Goten Son._

A horde of aliens rushed in the scarlet-themed chamber, with walls painted in bright crimson and decorated with dark red paraphernalia. They aliens all looked the same. Tall and slender, with skin that was between the shades of dark blue and gray. They had faces marked with all sorts of tattoos --- colorful ones, in varying hues ranging from kaleidoscopic tints to pastel tinges --- and each of those faces contained a pair of sinister-looking eyes of peculiar shape. They all wore robes, jet-black robes with embroidered designs the color of mercury, and whipping from behind them violently were lizard-like tails with spikes.

There were other aliens in the chamber, looking similar to those that had just entered, but they were wearing light pink robes instead of the ebony-colored ones. They were cleaning up an altar of sorts which was situated behind a throne, and the said altar contained a few statues seemingly of great importance. By the throne, where an authoritative-looking alien sat with much pride and dignity, were females of the species, dressed in bright saffron robes, and they danced around their master like there was no tomorrow.

After a few moments, the dance died down, and their group parted to admit the team of warriors who just entered the sanctuary. Most of the newcomers gave the women meaningful glances, while some fell out of their military position to hold up flirtatious gestures towards the ladies. They fell still, however, when their squadron leader moved out of their formation to address the Ryuujin who was sitting on the throne.

"Masterr Rryuuuurrai," one of the aliens began, stepping forward before it dropped to a low bow with the others. "The mission has been completed. Kanrryuu is dead, and his rright-hand warrrriorr is in ouurr possession. She will not awaken uuntil the venom of the _Rryuuubuki_ will wearr off, which will still be in a few morre houurrs. Six houurrs, to be prrecise, Most High."

"Well done, Commanderr. Youu and youurr men shall rreceive the crredit youu arre all duue. At this time, this warr we'rre having, we will need all the brriliant warrrriorrs we can get. Youu arre among those who have talents beyond exception, Commanderr," the so-called _Most High_ said, licking his extremely pale lips in satisfaction. He then leaned back against his scarlet-draped throne. "Speaking of the girrl, what arre the rresuults of the tests that werre conduucted?"

The other alien's face turned into a shade of lighter blue. He wanted to lie, but he knew that it would only get him in more trouble. The truth was his only way out, if it would be so generous to provide him with a way out. "If I may be perrmitted to say this, Yourr Majesty, she has been trrained exceptionally well by Kanrryuu. Herr powerr level is imprressive, for a human hybrrid suuch as herrself, and it appearrs that she has a potential in the fighting arrts grreaterr than some of ouur finest warrrriorrs."

A twisted smile appeared on the superior Ryuujin's dragon-like features. "She hasn't changed, then. She is still the same girrl I knew frrom the Academy ten yearrs back," he muttered to himself before he turned to the warrior who stood still in front of him. "As soon as she rregains consciouusness, brring herr to me. I want to settle a scorre with ouurr dearr guuest. In the meantime, deploy the pods for ouurr tarrget planet. The time has come to take things into a higherr level, into a greaterr couurrse of action."

"Well then," Ryuurai declared as he rose up, the rest of the aliens falling to their knees as he did so. "Let the invasion begin."

* * *

**[Author's Note] **I know that was awfully short, but well, it's just the intro for the rest of the saga! And yes, I've decided to continue with this, and if I'm inspired enough, I'm going to work on the other fic too. Anyway... *sneezes* ... excuse me, I got a nasty cold that's why I skipped school (and it's our exams too)... here's Kioko-sama's prize for guessing the word! *hands virtual chocolate bar* Yes, it's invade, and from there, the plot thickens even more!

Thank you very much for reading, and the next chapter will be up pretty soon. Please review!


	14. Tribulations

**[Author's Note]** I would like to apologize for the extremely late update, but I've been very busy with school! Don't worry, I'm almost over with school, so I will have more time to work on this and eventually finish this fic in the near future. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this new chapter... and please review!

* - The quote is from one of the many Star Wars books, although I don't remember which one, and I also don't remember if it was Mara Jade Skywalker who said it, or Jaina Solo. I'm really sorry for that. *sheepish grin*

* * *

**Hikari No Will Power**

_Act Two, Chapter One  
_**Dilemnas, Revelations and Decisions! The Never-Ending Cycle of Trials and Tribulations!**

"It's all your fault, you... you... _senseless, egotistical moron!_" Yumi screamed, slamming the door shut right on Trunks' face.

Intimidation was evident in the demi-saiyajin's features, especially the way his cerulean orbs sparkled as he glared at the locked door. "You're in _my_ room!" he snapped, clenching his fists in anger. He had tolerated the way Yumi blamed him for her father's death, but upon locking him out of his own room she had crossed the line. "And I'm _not _a senseless, egotistical moron!"

**_Clang!_**

In an instant, his face paled evidently. He had the bad feeling that Yumi had just trashed his computer, which was by far the most important thing in his bedroom. Practically screaming a curse, he decided that very instant to break the door down, regardless of the consequences. _I swear, if anything happened to my computer, I am so going to kill her!_

His room was a mess the moment he got in. There were pieces of china everywhere, as the young woman practically used the figurines and antique vases --- which were part of the demi-saiyajin's precious collection --- for target practice on Trunks' picture, which was pinned messily to the wall. She, too, had ripped the curtains off, and left them in a messy puddle on the floor right next to the young man's bed.

"Yumi Kaname, stop this... _insanity_... this very instant!" Trunks bellowed, glaring at her as if she was his mortal enemy.

She straightened up, turned to face him, and put her hands on her hips. She was mad; in fact, she was looking murderously at the demi-saiyajin. "Trunks Briefs-Vegeta, you have _no_ right to tell me what to do! You deserve this, oh hell _you do_, and this isn't even enough to make you pay for being such a fool!" she yelled back, her face brimming with fury. "If you focused on the situation at hand instead of your stupid fantasies, we could have saved him! But _no_, you wanted fluffy and sappy moments instead! How shallow can you get?!"

His face was swelling with anger. "First you call me a _senseless, egotistical moron_, and now you're saying that I'm _shallow_?! What's next, sweetheart?" he shot back, moving forward and taking her by the shoulders forecefully. "Let me take a peek inside that vision-loaded gray matter trapped inside that stupid head of yours, alright? Let's see... I just caught a thought bubble! A _perverted murderer_?! Wonderful thought, m'lady... _oooh_, this one's good! A _homosexual psychopath_, that's a nice one!"

"Get your hands off me!"

"I will if you'd shut up!"

Enraged even more than Trunks could imagine, she pushed him away, her strength in a surprisingly high level at that development. "Look, numskull," Yumi spat as she grabbed another figurine from the demi-saiyajin's study table. "I appreciate what you've done for me and all, rescuing me from those idiots who barged into my apartment uninvited, but you've crossed the line way too many times! First off, you _kidnapped_ me, and carried me around the countryside like a sack of potatoes. Then you promised me that you were going to help me get my father back in return for sharing you what I see, but you ended up being the cause of his death! I don't need an imbecile such as you, do you hear me?! If there's anyone who won't be able to survive this struggle, especially against a certain female assassin, it's _you_, not me!"

Trunks was about to throw a counter-attack of his own, filled with insults that would put them on even ground, but Yumi's last statement struck him hard. He looked at her with wide blue eyes, disbelief planted on his features as he processed what that certain remark meant. "Kasumi's alive?! You're not serious, are you?!"

Silence dominated the room for a few moments as they plainly stared into each other's eyes, their argument flying away as if it had never taken place. The demi-saiyajin's face had gone noticeably paler than it was a few moments back, and he was not moving an inch, for he did not want to miss whatever Yumi had to say, and whatever gesture came with it. The young woman, on the other hand, only looked at him with a glum expression, her verdant eyes relaying that she was utterly serious. 

"I'm the one who can see the future; I'm telling you."

He caressed her hand gently, awed to see another side --- another form --- of the person who brought him into the world. Smiling, he rose up and turned towards the door. "I'm sorry, Okaasan," Goten whispered, his back turned against Chichi who was still unconscious from the bombing of her home out of the authorities' attempt to capture Trunks, "but I must not let you see me. Knowing that I exist will only cause you a greater pain. I'm sorry."

Sparing one last look at her, he pushed the door open and quietly slid out. He then began to make his way out of the hospital, but he could not stop himself from stopping once in a while to do something that would conceal his true motive --- to listen at what was being talked about --- by tying his shoelace or looking around as if in search for a certain room. He did not intend to do it at first, but when he heard _Briefs-Vegeta_ and _Kaname_ in the same sentence, he changed his mind.

"Only Briefs-Vegeta could have done that to Kaname," an elderly woman blurted out as she fixed up her eyeglasses. "He was brilliant enough to use a virus to murder thirteen of his employees; killing our Prime Minister would've been a piece of cake for him."

"Problem is, he's dead. That leaves him totally out of the suspect list," another woman pitched in, pausing to cough. "I don't know what you'll think of me for saying this, but I don't think Briefs-Vegeta murdered his employees in the first place. For some reason, I believe it's some sort of inside conspiracy."

"That doesn't matter now. What we know for sure is that Japan will surely collapse, without Kaname's leadership! He has been the best political leader this nation has ever had; the only one who can probably fill his shoes would be his daughter, Yumi. However, she's still nowhere to be found."

_Yeah, but Yumi's unfortunately not interested in politics. Besides, if she shows up, Trunks is surely gonna get busted_, Goten thought, biting his lip. At that, he shrugged, straightened up and went on his way. Upon stepping out of the hospital, however, which was right across Capitol Hall, he came to a halt. "Oh no..." he whispered as his eyes caught the scene that was taking place.

Honoo Shidoosha, the new Prime Minister of Japan who was put into the position at Kaname's death, was being held hostage by a bunch of gruff-looking men --- foreigners, the demi-saiyajin noticed. They possessed a bunch of large guns and other weapons of the superior kind, and they were yelling at the police officers who were stationed in front of the said establishment, unable to do anything but to watch and listen.

Goten knew that he had to help, but he didn't know how. He was confident that he would be able to drive the terrorists away without breaking a sweat, but the thought of barging into the scene withouth concealing his identity disturbed him greatly. _I shouldn't really worry about this,_ he thought to himself, _as I practically don't exist in this timeline... but somehow... that's holding me back. I think I've had too much of Oniichan's Saiyamanic nature._

He blinked. _Saiyaman..._

He shook his head vigorously. "No, no, _no_. There is _no way_ I'm going to parade through the streets of Japan in a stupid costume, even if this is the Mirai timeline," the demi-saiyajin told himself firmly, clamping his hand into a fist. However, the situation at the other side of the street was getting worst by the minute --- the Special Defense Unit and the Police Force unable to do anything --- and he was beginning to buy the idea, lousy as it may seem.

The next thing Goten knew, he was heading towards a children's shop just a few blocks away from the hospital. "Great, just great," he grumbled, a strange expression on his face, for he was still debating whether or not he should go for the Saiyaman idea. "I practically swore to Trunks that I will _never_ take up the silly Saiyaman role, and here I am, walking towards the path of the Great Saiya-Idiot because I'm concerned about other people's safety. Sometimes I wish I was just as cold and uncaring as Vegeta towards these... pathetic humans," he finished, although he never meant his last two words. After all, he himself was part human.

The shop was full of toys, and other merchandise that had something to do with kids. On one side of the cozy store, he found what he was looking for: a suitable costume that could conceal his identity, but would still make him appear cool, unlike the Saiyaman in his own timeline. He was about to take it to the counter when a thought crossed his mind. If he was aiming to hide his identity, why would he personally pay for the said outfit? The cashier would recognize him without question the moment she would realize that the new hero of Japan wore a costume they sold! And... who knows, what if they have hidden cameras in the area?

"Okay, now to find someone to pay for this thing..." he whispered to himself, and he looked around, careful not to make himself look too obvious. And a few seconds later, he found the person he was looking for --- a little boy around six years of age, who was eating ice cream at a corner of the store. Taking a deep breath, he walked towards the child, squatted beside him, and smiled. "Hey, kiddo... would you mind doing me a favor? I'll buy you a whole gallon of ice cream, if you like..."

_When persuasion fails, bribery prevails_*_,_ he thought with a smirk.

Immediately, the child looked at him. "Really, mister?"

He took out a paper bill. "Yes, and all you have to do is buy me that costume over there," Goten told the boy, pointing to the sleek black outfit he had chosen from the set the store offered. He then gave the child a handful of bills. "That's for the costume. Once you're done paying for it, come back here and I'll take you out for that gallon of ice cream I promised."

The boy could not believe how much money he had in his hands... and in a second, he changed his mind. Why want a gallon of ice cream, when he already has enough to buy more? He stood up, smirked at the demi-saiyajin, then ran off as fast as his legs would allow him to.

"Hey, wait!" Goten called out, realizing that he had been cheated on by a _child_. Desperate to get back the money he had given to the said boy, he sprinted after the other, and thanks to his saiyajin genes, he overtook the little boy in no time. In fact, the kid was not looking at where he was going that he practically crashed into the teenager, who had his arms crossed in front of him with a stern look on his features. "Give me that money," he growled in a low voice that made the other tremble in fear.

However, that was when a hand rested on his shoulder. He recognized that the owner was female, but her grip was sure strong. "I'd leave that kid alone if I were you. Because if you won't, you'll answer to _me_," she said in a threatening tone that Goten was so familiar with. They stood still for a few seconds, not saying a word, and when the demi-saiyajin felt that he was going to explode from his curiousity, he spun around to see who it was.

His ebony orbs flew wide open.

Blood was all over the area, staining nearly ever square inch of the place she was standing on, although it was not the kind of blood that she was used of seeing. The fluid was in a frightening jet-black shade, and it gleamed like polished metal under the glaring bluish-white sun of Ryuusei. And lying in the sheet of blood were tails, tails which continued to wiggle and squiggle despite of the fact that they had been completely amputated from the rest of their owners' bodies.

_Giving uup so soon? I thouught youu werre the one everryone was suupposed to fearr, Ten-Thirrteen... after all, youu werre the champion at the Academy. The warrrriorr nobody couuld defeat, not even those who had been champions forr so many yearrs. Youu beat them, youu beat them all. Buut what happened to youu? Lost youurr touuch? Orr have youu simply gone soft?_

"SHUT UP!" she screamed, her eyes flashing dangerously as another wave of energy radiated from her body, eliminating the Ryuujins who were closing in on her at that moment, leaving them only of their tails. The part of the Ryuujin body that could not be eliminated. "Stop being a damn coward, Ryuurai, and show filthy yourself!"

That was when the ground parted, and a figure emerged from the pool of blood, a sardonic smile on his alien features. "I'm herre."

The young woman spun around, then dropped into a defensive fighting stance shortly after, despite of the fact that she was chained at that very moment. "I don't know what the hell you want with me," she began, wiping off the blood that was trickling down her bleeding lip, "but you whatever that is, you won't get it. Let me go if you don't want me to do something drastic that you'll surely regret for the rest of your life!"

"And what wouuld that be, Ten-Thirrteen? Youu seem to have forrgotten that youu arre in my terrrritorry. Even if I will let youu go, youu will cerrtainly not make it ouut of herre alive," the Ryuujin ruler hissed in reply. "Wouuld youu like to give it a trry? Orr wouuld youu prreferr dying by my hand? I shall grrant youu youurr desirre, whateverr that wouuld be."

In response, she spat at him.

"Ah, so that is youurr choice, then," Ryuurai blurted out, smirking in a reptilian way. "Verry well, then. I shall give youu youurr desirre. Afterr all, youu have serrved youurr masterr well, and thuus, youu deserrve something in rreturrn forr the serrvice youu wholehearrtedly gave him." He paused to address his minions, who were standing behind him, ready to do whatever he would ask them to. "Rrelease herr."

The Most High's servants, who stood like statues a moment before, sprung to life. They bowed down to their master, their tails whipping behind them in a seemingly enthusiastic manner as they chorused, "We hearr and obey, Lorrd Rryuuuurrai." Without further thought, they walked towards the female warrior, and set her free.

Before she could do anything, however, a strange sensation ran down her spine, and she fell to the ground on all fours, feeling weaker than ever before. Her sight began to fail her, the world disappearing into a mere blur, and shortly after, her other senses followed, until the feeling of helplessness and dread returned. _No, I must fight this... I must... fight... _she told herself sternly. _I still have to avenge Master Kanryu's death by killing Goten Son... Goten Son... Goten Son..._

At that, her eyes snapped open, gleaming in a dangerous emerald hue. The energy she had lost came surging back in full force, evident in her aura that blazed like a magnificent supernova that had just exploded. The sight of the new Ten-Thirteen made the Most High's lackeys back off with fear in their eyes, surprised at the transformation that took place.

The Most High, however, was as calm as ever. In fact, he looked rather pleased at the change that the young woman went through. "That's what I've been waiting forr, Ten-Thirrteen! What took youu so long to get that ouut of youu?" he sneered, then he turned around and raised his right hand. In an instant, the walls sunk into the seemingly pitch-black trenches in the area, revealing a crowd that immediately grew wild upon seeing the competitors for the next event. They were at the grandstand of the Ryuujin Academy, and they were going to engage in a deadly battle once again, after ten long years.

_But this time,_ Ryuurai thought with a smirk, _I'm going to win._


	15. Champion of Justice

_I'm so sorry for the delay of this chapter, most especially to Miss Lous who has been waiting for it for this for so long! I'm really sorry but I had a terribly hard time completing the chapter due to lack of inspiration. It's really hard when you don't get DBZ on TV anymore. *sad face* _

_Before I proceed, I would like to talk about some things --- heights, first off. Most of the sites I went to said that Trunks is 5'2", except for 'Temple O' Trunks' where he is estimated to be around 5'2" to 5'5" as Goku is around 5'7". Now, I don't believe Trunks is that short, because that would mean that he's only as tall as I am! Or short, rather. Since I'm not convinced, I decided to go about with the idea that he's 5'3". Second, about Kasumi's age. The past chapters said that she's seventeen, but that's only an estimate, since nobody knew exactly when she was born, even Hyouko who had raised her for ten years. Her exact age, however, is given at the end of the second scene. I just wanted to say that just to clear things out and avoid confusion._

_Again, I apologize for the delay, and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter. If you have anything to tell me, all you have to do is review, but... *small voice* please don't hurt me!_

**Hikari No Will Power | Act Two, Chapter Two**_  
Rumors, News, Speculations and Suspicions! The Birth of a New Champion of Justice!_

Of all people in the Mirai timeline, he did not expect to meet the woman he had just seen with his own eyes --- and who, in fact, was still standing in front of him, arms crossed in front of her chest authoritatively. He was about to open his mouth to tell her a word or two, when she cut him off sharply. "I don't want to hear any of your explanations, young man. Just leave the poor kid alone and mind your own business. I'm certain that does not include threatening people, especially those younger than you are."

"Chief!" a male police officer interrupted as he ran towards her, a wireless telephone in his hand. "It's Officer Touka!"

She took it, her sparkling blue eyes narrowing drastically at that development. It took her quite sometime to answer the other, for the caller immediately burst into a long babble --- and thanks to his sensitive saiyajin hearing, Goten realized that Touka was female. He immediately wondered what was wrong with the timeline he was in, for most of the police officers he came across were females.

"Those idiots," the new Chief of Police grumbled as she ended the said call, putting one hand on her hip as a sign of her annoyance. "They've never learned what to do at situations like this, when they've been trained for how many years. What techniques did Gashakura apply, I wonder? _Spoonfeeding?_"

"Well they certainly weren't effective, Chief."

"If this incompetence continues, it wouldn't take another robot to push our nation into a state of calamity and take away the lives of our loved ones. A terrorist or two will be enough to accomplish that, and the blame will fall on our shoulders," she blurted out in an edgy tone, handing the telephone back to her comrade. Suddenly, she turned around to leave, something snapping from within her, and the demi-saiyajin who was watching them quietly immediately knew what it was all about.

_Gohan._

The phone rang again, startling the young man who holding it, and the officer immediately looked at his departing superior, presuming that the call was from Officer Touka, and that it was for the Chief of Police once again. "Chief Satan! Excuse me for a moment!" he called out, running after her. "I believe this is for you!"

She spun around to take the call, but after a few moments of listening to what the caller had to say, her eyes flew wide open in shock... and Goten could tell, even from a distance, that it definitely wasn't good news. She then threw the wireless phone away --- it landing a few feet away from the demi-saiyajin --- and without a word, she took off towards Capitol Hall, the alarm at the back of her mind ringing furiously in warning. Not knowing what exactly was going on, but feeling that he was needed, the young police officer sprinted after her.

_Wonder what that was all about, _Goten commented thoughtfully as he watched the two leave, when his gaze landed on the telephone that the policewoman trashed away without so as much thinking about its cost. His curiousity getting the best of him, he bent down to pick it up... 

... and heard a voice that sent a dreadful shiver down his spine.

_"Boom."_

And a few meters away from where the demi-saiyajin was standing, a fiery explosion ripped Capitol Hall into shreds.

_Not enouugh inforrmation in database to continuue. End of genetic analysis, page fouurr of fouurr. Prroceeding to prrint genetic map. How many copies?_

"One."

_Prrinting, page one of fouurr... page two of fouurr... page thrree of fouurr..._

One of the top Ryuujin scientists in the facility, Ryuuhi, looked at the results with an astounded expression on his alien features. "I thouught they had been eliminated a long time ago, Masterr," he commented, narrowing his eyes in his attempt to confirm the unbelievable results. "At least, except forr one. Now therre's anotherr name forr uus to add in the list of suurrvivorrs."

_Prrinting complete, page fouurr of fouurr. Prroceeding to storre data._

"No wonderr Kanrryuu insisted on taking herr in, and trrained herr to become his rright-hand. Now I see his plans clearrly," Ryuurai mumbled to himself, grinning inwardly as he found the answers to the questions he had asked himself time and again. "Althouugh he no longerr exists to puut them to action... and his pet is incapable of doing anything as well. Tsk, tsk. What a pity. They wasted theirr lives trrying to overrcome the most powerrfuul warrrriorr in the uuniverrse."

_Data storred with auutomated passworrd. Initiating neuurro analysis._

"Masterr," Ryuuhi blurted out breathlessly, apparently finding something else in the genetic map that was laid out. He had not been listening to what the other had to say all along --- not that it was important --- because his mind was on something else that was of greater significance to him. As Ryuurai bent down to see what it was, the said scientist took another piece of paper which had the name _Trunks Briefs-Vegeta_ on top of it and put the two results next to each other. "Is this what I think it is?"

The Ryuujin leader frowned. "It can't be."

_Neuurro analysis complete. Name, Ten-Thirrteen. Age, sixteen yearrs ten months. Height, five feet one inch. Rrace..._

Emotions ran through Yumi's face as she stared at the demolished Capitol Hall --- emotions that overlapped one another that it was impossible for Trunks to decipher the message she was trying to send out. She opened her mouth to say something, but the shock she was feeling only allowed her to say three short words: "We're too late."

He hesitated to do something about it, but only for a moment. He then put an arm around her in an attempt to provide comfort, even in his own little way. _At least I can do something to make up for everything that I've done to her. I hope that this gesture will be enough for the moment_, he thought, keeping himself silent.

To his surprise, Yumi looked at him and sighed. "Trunks, let's go back. There's no use staying here; what we were supposed to stop already happened, and there's nothing we can do to change that. Our risk of getting spotted grows higher by the minute, so let's get going," she told him, although it was in a quite hesitant fashion. "I don't want you to get in any more trouble than you already are now. Come on, let's get going."

"What about Goten?"

It made her frown. "What do you mean?"

"We're not just going to leave him behind, are we?" he asked, looking at the wreckage from where they were standing --- on top of a building forty stories high. He felt his friend's ki-signature, but for some reason he couldn't spot him. He only saw a blur of silver and turquoise that moved around the area with much speed that could only belong to a saiyajin. _But Goten was wearing a white sweatshirt and dark green pants when he left, and those colors are nowhere near silver and turquoise_, Trunks told himself.

"I don't see him anywhere," Yumi voiced out, trying her best to find their friend and leave the place as soon as possible. She then stopped and turned to Trunks. "He's not in trouble, is he? I mean, I didn't have a vision about him, but you two being the same kind of people you might have some kind of link..."

"Oh no, he's fine. I just felt..." he paused to follow the blur he had spotted earlier, which was still moving in and out of the wreckage, as if doing some sort of rescue mission. "... I thought I felt him nearby, but I was wrong. He's not anywhere near here, or at least I feel so. Let's go back now, I'm sure he'll be back home safe and sound. After all, he's not a popular figure in this timeline, so who'd ever think of going after him?"

"You're right. Let's go back home."

Trunks nodded, swept Yumi up into his arms, and prepared to carry her back to their little hideout. Before his feet left the ground, however, he spared a glance at Capitol Hall that was in ruins, and spotted the blur once again, still at what it was doing. _Yeah, he's not a popular figure in this timeline, but then... I have a bad feeling about this._

She groaned, fluttering her eyes open as she did so, but realized to her dismay that her vision was still blurry, so she blinked a few times more to clear things out. Finally, her surroundings seemed to stabilize, and she found herself looking straight at the loud-mouthed policewoman, Officer Aira Touka. "What happened?" she asked, struggling to stand up as the other woman helped her out. "How many casualties from our side? Did the terrorists escape?"

"Zero from our side, Chief," Aira replied proudly, smiling at her. "A few civilians, but most of those who were in the building managed to get out alive. At least, managed to be pulled out alive. Shidoosha-sama's injured, but nothing serious to worry about. And the terrorists? Well... we've got them in chains right now. They said they're part of an internation group called _Cessa_ --- now we have a name to go with the faces."

"How... did you manage to capture them all?" she questioned, disbelief evident in her features.

"Oh, we don't take the credit for that, Chief, as much as we'd like to. Someone came to our rescue, if I can put it that way. He rushed in and out of the establishment to rescue those who were stranded inside --- at a speed faster than the speed of light! It was unbelievable, Chief, but I saw it with my very eyes! And after he pulled out all the people that he could, he went after the terrorists and caught them red-handed. He brought them over to us, and all we did was pretty much tie them up and bring them in."

It sounded familiar to the Police Chief, whose sapphire eyes were narrowed in her attempt to identify who the mysterious superhero was. She then looked at her companion and inquired, "Did he say who he was? Or did he leave without stopping to answer a few questions from the press?"

Aira smiled. "He said he was the _Great Saiyaman_. And he _did_ answer a few questions from the press." She then leaned forward to whisper to her superior in an excited tone, "If only he took off his helmet, Chief! I mean, he sounded like a total hunk! Now I'm looking forward for someone to actually unmask him! That is, if someone can outrun him in conquering the speed of light... but then again, we'll never know! You, for instance, Chief, have an impressive record in terms of speed --- maybe you can try to crack his helmet and see who he is!"

She waved her hand in dismissal. "Thank you, Officer. You may return to---"

However, Videl Satan was unable to continue her statement, for Aira pulled her towards the television that was stationed at a corner of the police station. She wondered what it was all about, when she saw the words _News Flash!_ at the bottom of the screen.

_"The international terrorist group identified by the Tokyo Police Force as Cessa bombed Capitol Hall half an hour ago, but they were caught red-handed almost immediately by Japan's new Champion of Justice, the so-called Great Saiyaman. He's extraordinarily strong, he travels faster than the speed of light, and he wears a ridiculous silver-and-turquoise costume --- but everyone's extremely grateful for his help and assistance, including Prime Minister Honoo Shidoosha who was saved by the new superhero."_

"That's him, Chief," Aira interrupted, pointing at the costumed figure standing at the back of the reporter, conversing with another newscaster while scratching the back of his head, despite the fact that he was wearing a helmet. It seemed like a habit, although the female officer hardly noticed it. "I agree that his costume is ridiculous, but that's not what's important, right? I mean, he saved our lives, and the lives of other people, so we gotta thank him for that, not pick on what he's wearing."

Videl noticed the habit, however, and her eyes narrowed considerably once again. _Superhero, Great Saiyaman, extraordinarily strong, faster than the speed of light, ridiculous fashion taste, habit of scratching the back of his head_... she thought, pressing her lips together in deep thought. _Why do all these clues add up to Son Gohan?_

The younger policewoman looked at her quizzically. "Something wrong, Chief?"

_Oh no, Officer, my dead boyfriend's just haunting me_, she answered silently, then she shook her head, hoping that it, too, will shake everything else away. She turned to Aira and smiled assuringly. "I'm fine, just thinking of ways how to unmask this new Champion of Justice," she lied. "After all, we don't want to be forced out of business because of him, do we?"

Aira was about to comment on that when a journalist stepped into the station in search for the Police Chief. She was of average height, with short blonde hair and light blue eyes that were serious and thoughtful. The moment she saw Videl, however, her eyes lit up, and the old Erasa Ruberu seemed to bounce back to the surface. "Hey, Vi-chan!" she called out, running and waving to her friend. "Long time no see! How are you?"

"Busy with all these terrorist rif-raf," Videl replied, motioning to a chair for her visitor to sit down. "And of course, the transition of the government from Kaname's iron grip to Shidoosha's calm management. It's such a pain, really, and sometimes I find myself wishing that Kaname was still Prime Minister, despite his savage ways of making the world a better place. How about you?"

"Busy with all these terrorist rif-raf, too. There's so much to write about in so little time, it's such a pain. I mean, I was already at Washington, ready to write about the World Unification Conference, when the news of Kaname's death came. I then had to run back here to check things out, and then everything else surfaced." She grinned, nonetheless. "So what's up?"

"The sky."

That made Erasa raise an eyebrow. "Seriously, Vi. You know what I mean," she muttered before heaving a sigh. "Well, I'll just go straight to the point so we can get this thing over with. I was out there, interviewing the victims of the bombing and trying to snag some time alone with the Great Saiyaman, when something caught my eye. Luckily, I had my camera and I was able to take a picture." She stopped to take out a picture from her notebook, and handed it to Videl. "Tell me if they're who I think they are."

The policewoman recognized them, all right. "Yumi Kaname, and..." Her eyes widened. "Trunks Briefs-Vegeta?"


	16. Jealousy

_Author's Note:_

_I would like to apologize for not putting this chapter up sooner. I already wrote a couple of chapters, but I wasn't able to upload any because I've been busy with other things, like reviving my Goten shrine. Plus, I have an evil server, too. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter!_

* * *

**Hikari No Will Power**  
Act Two, Chapter Three  
_The Green-Eyed Monster Makes Its Appearance! Sort Your Feelings Out, Yumi Kaname!_

_"The international terrorist group identified by the Tokyo Police Force as Cessa bombed Capitol Hall half an hour ago, but they were caught red-handed almost immediately by Japan's new Champion of Justice, the so-called Great Saiyaman. He's extraordinarily strong, he travels faster than the speed of light, and he wears a ridiculous silver-and-turquoise costume --- but everyone's extremely grateful for his help and assistance, including Prime Minister Honoo Shidoosha who was saved by the new superhero."_

Goten pushed the door of their apartment with Yumi and Trunks open, and was surprised to see the two sitting on the couch together and watching TV. After all, they were in yet another one of their wars when he left them earlier. Before he could say anything about the surprising situation, however, his best friend's future counterpart turned to him and smirked. "Did anyone ever tell you how ridiculous your costume looks on TV?"

He blinked. "What costume?" he asked, shutting the door.

"Don't be so naive, Son," the other replied with an amused grin, fixing his gaze at the demi-saiyajin who still had a blank expression on his handsome features. "Rather, don't _act_ like you're so naive. You're stretching your naivete into a length that's already beyond its nature, and that makes it unbelievable. You know very well what I'm talking about, _Great Saiyaman_."

Those words made the younger of the two sigh heavily. "It's really _that_ ridiculous?"

A mischievous glimmer appeared in Trunks' blue eyes. "Oh, so much more," he answered, before he gestured towards the empty spot on the couch between him and the daughter of the deceased Prime Minister, which Goten casually took. "I don't really know what to tell you regarding that profession you selected, except that your outfit is downright absurd. Where'd you get those clothes anyway, and whose style are you trying to emulate?"

That was when a smirk appeared on Goten's face. "Actually, I took it from a children's shop just near the hospital. I took a variety of clothes from a variety of costumes, and rushed into the crime scene with them. I know, I know, it's ridiculous, but I had---"

"You _didn't _pay for them?!" Yumi exclaimed.

"I did, right after I saved all those people. I had to keep my identity a secret, you know," he explained, calming the young woman down. He then looked at Trunks and the smirk that was plastered on his face earlier resurfaced. "Whose style I'm trying to emulate? Why, my brother's, of course."

Trunks' sapphire orbs were fixed at him. "You're kidding."

"I idolize him more than anyone else on this planet!" Goten exclaimed with a crooked grin, enjoying the look of disbelief on his friend's features. "Why so surprised? Can't you believe that the Gohan you knew when you traveled to our timeline is as silly as the costume I paraded with in the city? Well, you better believe it. He had stupid poses to go along his introduction, too --- and I won't go as far as emulating that, thank you."

"But the Gohan I knew..." the other demi-saiyajin began, then he sighed, shaking his head. "Well, we are of two different worlds. I suppose he had a swell time growing up." His voice again had that tinge of jealousy that made Goten regret what he just told the young man. But then again, he was the one who chose the topic to discuss. "What a wonderful world you must have been in. You didn't have to worry about the androids---"

"And we didn't have a father for seven years. _Wonderful_ world, Trunks? Think again," the younger interjected with a frown. He then casted his gaze on the wooden floor, as if he could see what it was comprised of. "It's not as wonderful as you think. We had to deal with someone far worse than the androids, a pink blob called Majin Buu, who managed to kill us off one by one, until only a few were left to save the universe. True, I was unconscious when I was killed, but the whole planet went into oblivion with us at that death. And even before that, Okaasan was turned into an egg and squashed right before my very eyes. I was only seven years old then."

That was when Yumi decided to interfere, apparently sick of what they were doing. "Is that all you're going to do for the rest of the day?!" she snapped, standing up to address the two who immediately looked at her upon her outburst. "Argue about whose life is more miserable, and why it's more depressing than the other?! Give me a break!"

"What's her problem?" they asked in unison as she stormed out of the living room with heavy steps.

No matter how hard Erasa tried, it was almost impossible for her to walk in the same pace as with Videl, who was half-running towards her apartment, bags of groceries in her arms. "You've got to listen to me, Vi-chan," she argued, struggling to at least stay five paces behind the Chief of Police --- and nothing more than that. "Such drastic measures will not guarantee a victory for us! There are other groups who will definitely interfere, and if we won't plan things out carefully, everything might crumble in the blink of an eye!"

"Erasa, please, if you wish to discuss that matter further, don't talk about it here," the other chided as she reached out to the one of the pockets of her trenchcoat to pull out a couple of keys. She then cocked her head to the side slightly to look at her friend. "Would you please do me a favor? I need to pick up the laundry, but I also need to pick up---"

"Sure, Vi-chan," Erasa interrupted, raising up her arms in surrender. "You know I can never refuse you."

Those words made Videl smile. "Thanks, you're truly a great friend," she told Erasa before handing over the bags of groceries she was carrying, as well as the assortment of keys she held with her other hand. "She'll want to eat once you get back, but just give her milk and cereal, or she won't have the appetite for dinner anymore. All right, I'll be on my way now! Thanks again, Erasa!"

With that, she ran off, leaving the journalist to struggle with the loaded bags. "Yeah, sure, I'm a great friend," Erasa managed to blurt ouf before she took a step that threw her backwards, making her land flat of her back. She sighed, looking up at the sky that was almost concealed from her view by the grocery bags. "At least all I have to worry about now are bringing these in her house and fetching the little tyke from the center, which are a lot easier than worrying on how not to get killed by the androids."

_I don't understand what I'm feeling right now,_ Yumi scribbled on another page of an old notebook she found the other day at their apartment's attic. She used to have an expensive, very nice diary, but it was hidden under her bed in their mansion, and she had no intention of going back there. She didn't have the right to go back there either, because it was not their mansion anymore, but the mansion of the new Prime Minister and his family.

She paused to sigh, before she went on with her entry. _I snapped at Goten and Trunks today, and I don't know why I did so. Well, their argument about who lived a more miserable life was getting on my nerves, but I don't think aggravation was the only reason. Perhaps it's because..._

The young woman stared at what she had written. What was indeed the reason behind her outburst? She looked at the pen she was using, and stared at it for a few more moments, before she snapped out of her trance and resumed writing. _Oh I don't know. The only thing I am certain of it that it has something to do with Dad's death. It came like a blast to me, and until now it still hurts to much. Dad wasn't the best, but he was something. And that's what matters most._

It was then when Yumi noticed that tears were falling down her eyes. She wiped them off quickly, silently urging herself to be strong. She compelled herself to continue writing, to write whatever topic would come into her mind, and it was her mistake, because after jotting down the first few words of the said subject, she didn't know what else to say anymore. _Now, about Trunks..._

"He's a jerk. An egotistical know-it-all. A spoiled brat," she enumerated in an audible voice. She was about to put those into writing, when she stopped. Her hand had grown stiff, and that was when she realized that she couldn't take those down. So instead, she wrote, _I don't understand what I feel about him either. I mean, he's not as cute and adorable as Goten, and he has a lot of undesirable traits that just tick me off, but for some reason, he just... he just charms me. He's as fierce as a lion at one moment, but as gentle as a lamb in the next. He yells back when I insult him, but when I get a vision that drives me weak, he catches me and takes care of me as if we have never argued._

_I know he's being friendly,_ she stated in a new paragraph, _but why does my heart feel something more than that? The way he looks at me makes me feel uncomfortable, especially when we're at such a close distance. And the way he gazes at Goten when we're together, cooking dinner, for instance... it's just not right. I don't want to assume that he's jealous, but that's how I understand the expression he displays. I don't really know what's going on now. There's so much I want to know, so much I need to understand._

Hearing footsteps, she decided to finish the entry. _Yumi, distressed and confused,_ she wrote hastily before she closed the notebook and hurriedly stuffed it under one of her pillows. She then ran to the door and opened it, just in time as Goten stepped up to knock.

"Oh, hi Yumi," he greeted, grinning sheepishly at her once again. "I just wanted to ask if you'd like to cook dinner with---"

She closed the door and returned the smile with one of her own. "I was just on my way to the kitchen," she told him. "After all, I can't miss the opportunity to improve my horrible cooking skills --- that is, of course, if there's any room for improvement." Upon resting her gaze on the demi-saiyajin, whose presence seemed very comforting, an idea on how to confirm her assumptions crossed her mind. And it was to simply ask Goten what was going on with their friend. "Goten, may I ask you something?"

He didn't know what made her that way all of a sudden, but he was ready to help out whatever was wrong. "Uh, sure," he replied, shifting to a more comfortable position that will, at the same time, allow him to look at Yumi straight in the eye. "Just as long as it's nothing about girls, which is something I'm very bad at."

"You? Bad around girls? Goten, don't kid me," Yumi said, laughing at the expression he was wearing on his face. "I mean, you're so adorable, who wouldn't want to be around you?"

"It's not that," he protested, his face turning red at the young woman's compliment. Suddenly, the floor seemed very interesting to the young man. "They're the ones who wouldn't want to be around me. And I don't know how to deal with them, especially when I'm alone with one of them."

That made her raise an eyebrow, and then she remembered what happened the first time they were together, how Goten was unusually uncomfortable around her. She shook the thought away, however. "Oh, don't worry," she blurted out, patting him encouragingly on the shoulder. "I'm sure you'll get over that in a few days' time. You're practically in the city where bars are jam-packed with women. Ask Trunks to take you there one of these days --- at least, show you were the best one's at."

He went back to the matter at hand. "So what was it you wanted to ask me?"

"Oh, yeah. I wanted to ask..." she paused, hesitating, but then decided to spit it out and get the entire conversation over with. "I just wanted to ask something about Trunks." She took a deep breath. "Do you... do you think he likes me?"

Silence filled the atmosphere for a few moments before Goten's handsome face broke into a grin. And it wasn't the sheepish type he usually had, it was more of the mischievous, rougish one. "Like you? Are you kidding?" he exclaimed, looking at her as if she was crazy. He then lowered his voice to a whisper within earshot. "Of course he likes you! He's just not very good at showing it --- showing it to you, rather. He feels insecure because he's a jerk while you're the complete opposite. His words, not mine."

And that was all Yumi needed to know. "Thank you, Goten. You see, I felt that something was wrong, but I didn't know what that something was. I had the hunch that it was that, since we've been very uncomfortable around each other lately, and well... I just needed to be certain." She smiled. "Shall we go make dinner now?"

Goten's jet-black eyes twinkled naughtily. "I smell burnt rice cakes."

"Go on with that or you won't have anything for dinner at all!"

He started going down the stairs, Yumi following him closely. "Oh, I don't need to worry about that," he voiced out in a sly tone, his hands casually tucked in the pockets of his trousers. "I can always leave this place and dine out, while you two have to get stuck here with your burnt rice cakes because you can't possibly leave. Then again, that would be an advantage on your part, as it will be the perfect opportunity for the two of you to strengthen your relationship and take it to the next level."

The young woman wanted to smack him hard on the head, but she let out a laugh instead. It was next to impossible to get mad at the demi-saiyajin, especially because of the smile he wore nearly all the time. "If you weren't so good at cooking, I would've kicked you out of here a long time ago," she shot back, smiling broadly like the other. "But I need your expertise on that field, so there's nothing I can do but keep you here. You're lucky I can tolerate your jokes."

Upon reaching the last step of the staircase, he paused to flash her one of his expressions of mock hurt. "I know, I know, I'm a good-for-nothing guy," he began in a sad tone that was unbelievably convincing, "I'm stupid and I'm full of dull jokes, but I have feelings too! How dare you run my emotions down with your million-dollar tractor!"

Those words made Yumi giggle as she pulled him towards the kitchen. "Oh, Goten, you're such a darling! I'm so lucky to---"

They stopped in their tracks.

Trunks was in the kitchen, holding a glass with one hand and setting down a pitcher full of water with the other, but there was something in the way he looked at the two that made them feel very uncomfortable all of a sudden. Before any of them could say anything, the purple-haired young man gulped down the contents of the glass, put it down, and said, "Oh, how rude of me for polluting the romantic air."

He walked away, passing right between Goten and Yumi, pulling the two friends apart. When the demi-saiyajin was completely out of sight, the other one turned to his companion with a closed expression in his ebony orbs and whispered, "I told you he likes you."


	17. Revolution

_Author's Note:__ I apologize for the delay, I've been working on the rest of my fanfics in hopes to finish as much as I could over the summer. It's merely a week before I get back to school, and it's sending me chills. =s Anyway, I already wrote until _Chapter Twelve_ of Act Two, but just like all my other fics I'm uploading them one at a time. Well, that's it for now, I hope you enjoy --- especially the Trunks/Yumi fans out there. =P_

**Hikari No Will Power**

_Act Two, Chapter Four:  
_Shadows of the Upcoming Revolution! The War Goes On!

It was not easy to board a train and get off it with one's hands full, but not for the Chief of the Tokyo Police Force. She made it in and out of the vehicle without trouble, despite the fact that she was carrying bags of washed-and-ironed clothes along with a dry-cleaned gown which she claimed from a company that offered such services. "I need to hire a househelper," she told herself, but as soon as she did so, she shook her head. She didn't have much money, not as much as she used to have anyway, and she knew that her salary wouldn't be enough for another addition to her family.

Sighing, she pushed the door of her two-story apartment open, and a smile crossed her serious, thoughtful features as she heard the energetic squeals and shrieks of her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Pan. She was happy to note that her little one was growing up normally... except for the fact that she had special abilities that would very soon plunge her into something out of the ordinary. After all, her father was Gohan Son.

_Gohan_, she called out silently, shutting her eyes to prevent her tears from falling. She did not want anybody to see her crying, not because she had an image to keep, but because she wanted to encourage everyone else to be strong. _You just don't know how much I miss you._

Despite her attempt to drive her tears away, droplets of fluid streaked down from her cerulean eyes, and she had to wipe them off with her free hand. She took a deep breath, urging herself once again to be strong, and she walked towards the living room to check up on her daughter and find out what was up. She was barely inside the room when she heard a heartwhelming call.

"MAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! MAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Erasa looked at her and grinned. "About time you returned, Vi-chan. Your little girl is too hyperactive for her own good," she told the other, standing up and carrying Pan towards her mother. "Now, now, Panny-chan, look who's home! It's mama! Go give her a big hug and tell her how much you miss her."

"How's my little girl?" Videl asked, dropping her tone into a childlike one as she cuddled her daughter. As she carried her daughter around, she looked at her best friend and said, "Thank you so much, Erasa, you just don't know how much this all means to me. I hope I can somehow repay you for all this help you're giving me."

"Oh, don't bother. The pleasure's mine," the other muttered, patting her on the shoulder. She then sat back down on the couch and sighed. "It must be hard being a single mother. I mean, you don't only have to work to support yourself and your child, you also have to take care of her little girl and make sure she grows up the right way. And in your case, you have to take care of a paralyzed father, too," she blurted out before resting her gaze on the picture that was taped to the dusty-looking wall. "Vi-chan... you never told me how Gohan died."

Her best friend's comment about her being a single mother did not affect her much, but those last words made the policewoman stop in what she was doing. She turned to look at the blonde young woman, her face a mask of emotions. Part of her wanted to scold Erasa for asking such a thing, for opening such a topic, while another part of her simply wanted her to tell the truth and move on. "The androids," she confessed, shutting her eyes to stop the tears, to stop the pain. "The androids killed him. I was going to tell you, but I couldn't. I know how much you cared for him."

Tears were starting to accumulate at the rim of Erasa's light blue eyes, ready to fall. "He was..." she began, but immediately trailed off, forcing back sobs. "... a great friend. Gohan was a great friend. More than he'll ever know."

That was when Pan reached out with her tiny hands and pulled her mother's hair, demanding her attention in her own little way. "Papa?" she asked, looking at Videl with big ebony eyes that so were so much like Gohan's, apparently knowing who was being talked about.

The two women stared at each other, anguish reflected in their eyes, and then, they turned to look at the little girl instead. Despite Pan's continuous calls for her father, Videl did not say anything. She merely hugged her daughter close, stroked her hair and hummed a lullaby in her attempt to comfort the child.

_Briefs-Vegeta... It was... my mistake. The Most High... Ryuurai... He will... He will... He will in---_

"Invade," the young woman breathed, her glassy onyx orbs snapping open as she, too, snapped out of the spell that was casted on her. She stared at the rough-looking ceiling, barely visible at the darkness of the room she was imprisoned in, and wondered how long she had been unconscious. She tried to push herself up, but found that she was securely strapped to the cold, metal plate on which she was lying on.

Muttering a curse between her breath, she tried to figure out what was holding her in place and how to free herself from whatever it was, when what she thought were ropes tightened around her like a huge snake coiling around its prey. She gritted her teeth as she stopped struggling, presuming that it would stop what it was doing as well, but instead, it squeezed her against the wall of metal even harder.

The pain was excruciating. She wanted to cry out in pain, but she did not want to give the Ryuujins the pleasure of hearing her that way. She shut her eyes instead, absorbing the pain instead of forcing it out --- and to her surprise, it worked. She no longer felt the pain, as she no longer felt anything. Her entire body was numb, and there was nothing she could do, for if she would release her hold, the pain would surge back like a tidal wave.

"I can't die, not when I haven't avenged Lord Hyouko's death," she whispered to herself, determination flashing in her eyes. And that was all she needed. A different kind of power then flowed through her, a power that she could rarely access, and as her aura exploded like a supernova, the creature that bound her fell to a heap on the cold, marble floor. She jumped away immediately, proceeding to blast a hole on the wall for her to go through, when she yelped as something overcame her from behind.

The creature had grabbed her tail.

She fell to her knees, the pain swallowing her whole. The creature, on the other hand, seemed to realize that what it was holding on to was its opponent's weakness, so it latched on even more, making the female warrior shriek in agony. _Damn this stupid tail,_ she thought fiercely with clenched teeth before she focused on the wall that was one of the two things that was keeping her away from freedom at that moment.

Her cold, blue eyes darted towards her hand, which she then held up, forcing herself to do what must be done. _You want to get out of this planet, don't you? _she encouraged herself, and then, she began recharging the ki-blast she prepared earlier. She knew it that she would feel an even greater pain at the execution of her plan, but she had no other choice.

It happened very fast. In a blink of an eye, by only moving her head to look at her target, she blasted the creature, driving it away from her and towards the wall, slamming it to the hard surface with much impact and killing it without much trouble. She stopped in her tracks, hesitation filling her mind --- but only for a moment.

She then cut her tail off.

"Here you go," Goten announced with a smile as he set down three large plates filled with delicious-looking food, before he sat down on the chair that was reserved for him. He looked at his companions who were gaping at what he had cooked, and told them what he had cooked for them, pointing to each plate as he did so. "Beef steak with cauliflower, fish fillet with sweet and sour sauce, and vegetable soup. Eat away before I gobble them all up."

Yumi could not help but flash him a smile as soon as she tasted every dish. "Oh, Goten, you're just fabulous!" she exclaimed before helping herself with another spoonful of vegetable soup. "I could never cook as well as you do! Thanks for doing all this for us, I can't imagine how our lives --- mine, most especially --- would be if we'd have to eat burnt rice cakes until the end of time."

A sheepish, embarrassed grin crossed the demi-saiyajin's face, then he stared at his food-laden plate to hide the red hue that was crawling up to his cheeks. Trunks, on the other hand, averted his gaze from his plate to the other young man and scowled --- before swallowing another spoonful of vegetable soup.

"Trunks, could you please hand me one of that?" the young woman requested, pointing to the plate filled with rice cakes.

The demi-saiyajin raised an eyebrow as he turned to look at her with his cold, blue eyes. "You have feet to stand up with and hands to get one, don't you? Then just do it yourself," he snapped, frowning. "Or is the ex-Prime Minister's daughter too dependent that she can't do such a simple task all by herself?"

She glared at him, annoyed that he was being the jerk he was again. She was about to return the rude gesture when she realized that she could not find the words to rebuke him. Rolling her eyes, she stood up, grabbed one of the rice cakes, and as she sat back down, she muttered, "He saved the world from the androids, yet he can't do me a simple favor. What a jerk."

"Excuse me?" he asked in a raised voice.

"I said," she spat, turning to look at him with anger in her verdant eyes, "that you saved the world from the androids yet you can't do me a simple favor. You're such a_ jerk_." With that, she rose from her seat, her hard gaze still on Trunks. "Oh well. Looks like I lost my appetite. The food was great --- but someone wasn't."

She wasn't even out of the room when Trunks bolted up from his seat. "Oh yeah?" he called out in a bitter tone, following the young woman with his angry, cobalt-colored eyes as she stomped her way to her bedroom. "As if you are! You know what I think of you, Yumi? You're nothing but a spoiled little girl who wants her daddy back so badly because she can't take care of herself!"

"And you're nothing but a spoiled little boy who wants his mommy back so badly because he can't take care of himself!" her voice boomed from the second floor of their tiny apartment before she stomped her feet one last time in defiance and slammed the door of her bedroom shut.

Trunks stood still, his hand clamped into a fist as he took in all that the young woman had said. He wanted to yell back at her, to tell her that she was wrong, but he couldn't. Because he was right. He wanted his mother back so badly, because he no longer knew how to handle things. Bulma would understand, and she would help him --- if she was alive. Taking a deep breath to push his anger away, he spun around to take another drink from his glass of water, only to look directly at the other demi-saiyajin who, too, was staring at him.

"You didn't mean that, did you?" Goten asked in an almost hesitant fashion. He didn't want to stick his nose into other people's business, but Trunks and Yumi were his friends, and he did not want their friendship to be destroyed just like that. "You know... that she's a spoiled brat and all."

To the younger warrior's surprise, he nodded. "Oh I meant it, all right," he answered in a steely tone, then he averted his sapphire eyes to the half-empty glass of water that was in front of him. He shut himself off from the rest of the world for a few moments, to calm himself down and drive the hostility in him away, before he lifted his head to regard the other young man. With a soft, barely audible voice, he finished, "But that doesn't mean I love her less."

Erasa looked at Videl worriedly; in fact, that was all she did ever since the other young woman answered the said call. Although there was really nothing to worry about phone calls, the expression on the Chief of Police's face was enough to capture the journalist's full attention.

"Don't you ever dare do that!" the other suddenly snapped, clutching her sleeping daughter close to her with an intense degree of protectiveness. Her eyes narrowed drastically. "Is that how you do things now? Threaten people to make them do what you want them to do?"

After hearing the caller's response, Videl rolled her eyes. "All I'm asking is that you keep my daughter safe and out of this," she said sternly, dropping her voice into one that was barely a whisper. "Do that, and I'm going to do my part. Or is that too hard for someone like you? Just tell me, and I will back off from our agreement with no strings attached."

As soon as she put down the receiver, her best friend walked up to her and asked, "What was that all about?"

Videl sighed. "You know, the upcoming revolution," she replied, resting her gaze on the picture of Trunks and Yumi that the other young woman gave her earlier. "They've decided. It's going to take place tomorrow, whether we like it or not. Shidoosha will be assassinated at nine o'clock in the evening, and we will push someone into office to be the new President of this nation."

"And who's that going to be? I mean, there are a lot who would want to be President, but we can't just put anyone on that position, right?" Erasa asked as she calmed down, sitting on the couch as her friend did so. When she turned to look at the policewoman, however, she saw the closed expression she was sporting, and it hit her. "They threatened that they're going to hurt Pan if you won't do what they want?"

"That's how things are done nowadays, I'm afraid," she answered with a heavy sigh, before she smiled. "However, I'm going to give them a surprise that will surely please them. I don't care if I have to do it the same way as they're doing it, but I don't have any other option. After all, we need a President by tomorrow."

"What do you mean?"

That was when Videl reached out to grab the picture that was just beside the telephone, a triumphant grin on her pale features. "To succeed in our endeavor, we need the right person to put into office," she began, looking at her best friend intently. "Young, popular, and easy to bend, so that she will follow whatever we tell her to do. Right now, there's only one person who fits that description. If we can convince her, then our problem is solved."

"Young, popular, easy to bend..." Erasa muttered, analyzing the clues she was given, before a grin spread on her face. "Eighteen years old, attractive, daughter of a popular politician who had a lot of supporters during his reign, naive and unaware of how the world truly works because of her luxurious way of life --- am I thinking of the right person?" As soon as Videl nodded, confusion became the dominant expression on her face. "But how are you going to find her? True, she's with Briefs-Vegeta, but isn't he supposed to be dead?"

"I have my ways, Erasa," the Chief of Police assured her with a knowing smile. "I have my ways."


	18. Proposal

**Hikari No Will Power**

_Act Two, Chapter Five - The Chief of Police's Surprising Proposal! Yumi Kaname for President?!_

**  
**A short moment after the alarm clock started to wail its morning symphony, a half-awake Yumi let out a groan, rolled over, and leaned her hand on the snooze button, silencing it. Groggily, she picked it up, held it closer to her face to check the time, before she dumped it back on the table, pulled her sheets over her head, and slept on. It was too early for her to be up and about, after all.

But an explosion occurred.

She jumped out of her bed, startled by the loud _boom_ that completely snapped her out of her sleep, and hurried down the stairs with much speed, almost tumbling down the steps as she skipped one after the other. She was still meters away from the kitchen when she noticed that it was where the smoke was coming from. Grabbing the fire extinguisher, she kicked the door of the said room open, and sprayed at where the fire was.

What she did not notice, however, was that there was someone standing in between her and the fire, and that most of the water soaked him rather than the fire, which was the original target. Even so, the dwellers of the apartment were in luck, because the amount of water that landed on the blaze was enough to put it off. Seeing that the smoke was accumulating inside the kitchen in an ugly haze of black and gray, she threw the empty canister away to open the window, only to hit the demi-saiyajin who was entering the area right in the face.

She turned around, breathing heavily in relief as the fumes sped out of the area and towards the open. She leaned against the window sill, her adrenaline wearing off --- only to see a dizzy Goten, who eventually stumbled by the doorway with swirling raven eyes, and a drenched Trunks, who stood still in front of the oven, water dripping continuously from his purple hair.

"Goten! Trunks!" the young woman exclaimed in surprise, approaching the two cautiously to check on their condition. She then put a hand over her mouth as she saw the state they were both in, stifling a gasp. "Oh my Kami, are you all right?"

"Oh yeah, I'm just soaked."

Goten only groaned in reply, rubbing his forehead.

"I'm really sorry! You know how I am when I get startled," she apologized, helping the younger demi-saiyajin up, before taking a towel from the cabinet and handing it to other. She then began cleaning up the mess, the other two helping her out a short while after. "What in the world were you doing anyway?!"

That was when Goten nudged his friend, flashing him a meaningful look. "I... uh..." Trunks stammered, speechless all of a sudden. "I was... uh... trying to prepare breakfast, to... uh... make up for last night." He looked at Yumi for a second before he hung his head and stared at the dirty floor in disappointment. "But I can't even do that right. I'm really someone who's good-for-nothing."

She looked at the demi-saiyajin with sympathy-laden green eyes, before she sighed. "Not all people can cook, you know?" she told him as she went back to wiping away the oil that was all over the oven. "It's some kind of talent, I suppose. Some people are really good at it, while others---"

"---can't even stay in the kitchen for two minutes without burning anything."

At that, the two of them blushed, turning away from each other to hide their faces. Goten, who was standing between them, folded his arms in front of his chest, looked at Yumi, then at Trunks, and smirked. He opened his mouth to comment on the situation, but he was interrupted by a suspicious-sounding news alert from the house next door. Upon hearing the words _"Cessa," "hostage,"_ and _"Capsule Corporation," _he immediately grabbed the plastic bag that was hidden behind the large flower vase and ran back to the kitchen.

"Well, work calls. See ya," he told his friends who still weren't on speaking terms for some reason, before he flashed a crooked grin and took up an informal salute. He rushed out of the area, but just as he disappeared from their view, he peeped back in, still grinning. "Oh, by the way? In case you haven't noticed, it's the bonding hour. So make good use of it."

As the door of their apartment slammed shut, the two wanted to say something to destroy the tension that was floating around them, but found themselves too embarrassed to do so. When they finally had the courage to speak, they began with, "Um..." at exactly the same time, causing them to turn away from each other with pink cheeks.

"You go first," Yumi said.

"No, ladies first."

"Um..." the young woman stammered, shuffling her feet. "I really don't know what to say."

"Me either," the demi-saiyajin admitted.

The air grew thicker by the minute, as did the silence that spread between them. Yumi felt that something was really going on, so she turned around to check what it was, only to come face-to-face with Trunks, who, too, turned around at the same time. By then, their faces were only a few inches apart, yet they weren't able to notice, because his eyes were locked on hers just as her eyes were locked on his.

And then, their lips touched, all their differences immediately forgotten.

"Hold it right there!"

The armed men, who were part of the terrorist group _Cessa_, looked around to see who it was, but saw nobody. Their captive, on the other hand, continued to squirm and wriggle, desperate to get out of the chair in which he was strapped in, and desperate to call out for help. Although Iori Moriya, the Chief Executive Officer of Capsule Corporation, was a sly entrepreneur who managed to get things done his own way, he was a man full of fear as well.

One of the terrorists held the gun to Moriya's head, scowling. "Don't even think about it, Mr. CEO," he threatened, loading the weapon with a soft _click_ that made the man pale considerably. "I know you're eager to get out of here, but you must wait. If you won't, then you'll never get out of this place alive."

The voice returned. "I said, hold it right there!"

That was when the window just behind Moriya shattered into pieces, and a figure clad in silver and turquoise garments crashed in. The terrorists immediately got into their positions and began shooting the intruder, but the Great Saiyaman was too much of a match for them. The superhero only stood there as they fired, catching the bullets one after the other with much ease, just as what his predecessor used to do.

When the armed men ran out of bullets, they dropped their weapons and attempted to escape, fearing what would happen to them with such a powerful adversary. But the Great Saiyaman would not let them leave without meeting the police, so he soared above them and landed by the doorway, blocking the way out. He gestured towards the window, suggesting that they escape through it, but his enemies only backed off in fear. "W-who are y-you?" a stout young man asked, stuttering.

The super fighter stopped to think. _What was Gohan's battle cry again?_ he asked himself, looking at his opponents and making sure that they were still in their places. As much as the demi-saiyajin resented the thought of that he had become a silly, costumed superhero like his older brother, he was beginning to appreciate the situation he was in. And that was when the notion of living up to the Great Saiyaman's standards struck him.

If he would indeed live up to it, Gohan would be proud.

He then stepped forward, making the terrorists step back in fear. _Perfect,_ he thought with a satisfied grin, before he flung his magnificent blue cape behind him and took up a pose that he thought only Gohan would be daring enough to do. "Heaven cries out, the Earth cries out, the people cry out and even I cry out for me to defeat the forces of evil! Can't you see this evil-fighting helmet? I am the strong, the invincible, the ultimate hero... the Great Saiyaman!"

As he finished up his routine, he heard his best friend's mocking voice from the back of his head, but he pushed it away, savoring the moment. So what if he was acting silly? He was having fun, and helping those who need help at the same time. _It's not such a bad thing, is it?_

And once again, the Great Saiyaman saved the day.

Because neither of them knew how to cook, Trunks and Yumi were forced to eat popcorn and potato chips for breakfast while watching television and waiting for Goten to return from his work. As they sat next to each other on the couch, the young man suddenly let out a sigh. "Where have you been all this time? I mean, during the androids' reign of terror..."

"Hiding underground. Like everyone else. Praying that the nightmare would end."

"It did end."

She smiled at the demi-saiyajin, her gleaming emerald eyes scanning his handsome features. "Well, it's because you," she whispered, poking him on the chest playfully, "put an end to it. And you said you were good-for-nothing."

A tinge of pink crept up to Trunks' cheeks, his embarrassment at the young woman's compliment shining through. He was about to say something in return when his sensitive ears caught the sound of someone knocking on their apartment's door. Grinning at her, he stood up to see who it was --- but to his surprise, he found no one.

"Who is it, Trunks?" Yumi called out from the living room.

"Oh, nobody," he answered as he reached for the doorknob, when something on the doormat caught his eye. It was a small, transparent plastic bag, and it contained a compact disc. The young man looked around to see who might have dumped it, but saw no one suspicious among the people who moved about the area, minding their own businesses. Sighing, he closed the door and headed back to where his friend was. "But someone left this."

She examined it carefully, when she noticed that there was a small piece of paper stapled to the plastic at the rear end. "To be opened in the presence of Yumi Kaname, heiress to the Kaname Empire," she read, frowning. She then looked at Trunks, who sat down beside her. "Kaname Empire? Some joke. But then again, I think we should check this out. What do you think?"

He shrugged. "You're the boss."

Yumi nodded, unable to contain her curiousity. As soon as she did so, the demi-saiyajin rose up, removed the disc from the plastic bag, and inserted it to the player. He then grabbed the remote control and pressed the keys to access the _Video_ mode, before he sat back down, leaned back against the comfortable couch, and pressed _Play._

The screen remained blank for a few seconds, until a woman appeared in the picture. She was stern-faced but attractive, with short black hair and icy blue eyes that livened up her serious features. Trunks immediately identified that she was a fighter, judging from her attentive demeanor, and the keen look in her eyes.

_"Good morning, Miss Kaname. I am Videl Satan, Chief of the Tokyo Police Force. You might be surprised about the fact that I know that you're very much alive, but I have my sources. However, that's not what I wanted to discuss. You see, the citizens of this nation need you. I'm sure you are aware of our country's present situation, despite the fact that you haven't appeared in public for quite sometime now. We've just been hit by two very heavy blows: the androids, who destroyed almost everything we ever had, and the death of your father, Hyouko Kaname, who was the only one who managed to rebuild this country and make a difference._

_"Our new Prime Minister, Honoo Shidoosha, apparently has no knowledge in terms of running a country, and he, too, refuses to listen to us and his advisers. Because of his incompetence --- something that will only plunge Japan into catastrophe, especially now that we've been invaded by terrorists --- it has been decided by the Rebel Leader that he shall be assassinated tonight, at nine o'clock. After that, we will need to put someone into office, a new ruler for the new government we will be establishing. And I am referring to you, Miss Kaname. You are young, witty and charismatic. Your father's loyalists, plenty they are, will surely support you in all your endeavors, and on your part, you will have the chance to fulfill your father's promise to make this nation great again._

_"Do not even think about saying no, about refusing this proposal. I have two discs here with me --- one containing all the evidences of your father's ill regime, and the other containing the evidences that you friend, Trunks Briefs-Vegeta, who was accused of murdering his own employees back when he was the Chief Executive Officer of Capsule Corporation, is innocent. If you will refuse to participate in this rebellion, you will not only be killed, your father's doings will be exposed to the world, while the truth about your friend will be hidden away forever._

_"I want you to meet me tonight, at seven o'clock, at the back lawn of Capsule Corporation in Western Capitol. If Iori Moriya's guards will demand an explanation, tell them that you have an important appointment with Mr. Moriya. My partner will cover it up for you. In exchange for your participation, I shall give you both discs, and you are free to do whatever you wish to do with them. You have eleven hours, Miss Kaname. Eleven hours to decide and act upon the opportunity you have. Your cooperation in this revolution will make Japan great again."_

Silence.

"I don't like the sound of it," Yumi whispered, breaking the silence that was disturbing both of them greatly. "Me? President?"

"The question is, how did she know that we're alive _and_ together? I don't think it was through coincidence, especially the fact that she referred to me as your _friend_," the demi-saiyajin voiced out with narrowed cobalt orbs as he looked at the plastic bag where the disc was put in suspiciously. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"What should I do?"

Trunks sighed, as he pressed the button on the remote control that was labeled _Stop_. "As much as I would love to be declared innocent," he blurted out, shifting his position to face the worried young woman, "I don't think you should do it. You don't have to worry about getting assassinated; I'm here to protect you. About the discs, we can always steal it from her. If she's the Chief of Police, then we should find those at her office at the station. Besides, if you'll take the job, you'll be carrying the entire Japan on your shoulders at the age of 18, and you'll grow old easily."

She averted her gaze to the disc player, uneasiness evident in her pale features. "Why do I feel obliged to do what she's asking me to do? I do have a bad feeling about all this, but somehow, it seems right." She took a deep breath before she turned to look at the demi-saiyajin, who was observing her intently. "Well, are you still going to love me even if I'll have wrinkles on my face?"

"Of course!" he acknowledged with a laugh.

"Then that's it. I'll do it."

He immediately stopped laughing, her words hitting him hard. He could not believe that Yumi Kaname, the young woman who he called a _spoiled little girl_ just the night before, was accepting the responsibility of ruling the entire country at the raw age of 18. Apparently, she was trying to prove something.

He could not find the words to rebuke her, however. The only statement he managed to utter out loud, in a tone of complete disbelief, was comprised of the words, "You're kidding."

---

Author's Note: I planned to retain the position Yumi would be asked to fill as Prime Minister, but I have no knowledge in that form of government (it's democracy here in the Philippines, after all), so I decided to include in the rebel's motives to totally shift their form of goverment from parliamentary to democratic. It's easier that way, most especially because I studied about that in Social Studies. With that cleared, I'd like to thank all of those who read and reviewed. Muchas gracias.

I start school on the 9th, but nothing to worry, I already wrote until Chapter 13, so you can expect an update every weekend, which is when I'll be free to go online and all. Hopefully, I'll be able to write the next chapters, too, so that you can indeed spot an update every Saturday or Sunday. So anyway, if you have any suggestions or comments, let me know. Thanks. =P


	19. Mysterious Orbs

**Hikari No Will Power**

_Act Two, Chapter Six - Mysterious Orbs of Alien Energy! No Way Out for the Defenseless Chikyuujins!_

**  
**It was twice the size of a tennis ball and made up of a shiny, black-colored metal that was unmistakably alien. The said orb had cracks engraved all over it in a symmetrical fashion, but they seemed to be there only for decoration. At least, at first glance, for after tinkering and playing around with it for nearly the whole day, Goten was certain that there was something more to them than the reddish lava-like light they radiated.

The demi-saiyajin had been trying to discover what the orb truly was ever since he found it on his way back to their apartment from his rescue operation, as he had a bad feeling about it. What he feared was that he was usually right about those kind of things. He sighed, wiping the sweat off his forehead. Of all the places one could work on in an apartment, he picked the basement, which was the hottest area next to the attic.

"Hey, Goten!" Trunks called out, opening the door to the younger warrior's hideout and sticking his head inside. "I'm taking Miss President to Capsule Corporation to meet with the Police Chief, make sure you don't blow anything up, okay?"

He turned his head to look at the other and grinned crookedly. "Look who's talking," he shot back playfully, folding his arms in front of his chest. "You're the one who caused the disaster at the kitchen this morning, Trunks, not me. So if there's anyone who's going to blow things up, it's you."

"Bye, Ninny!"

"See ya, Pansy!"

They glared at each other for a few moments before a grin broke through their features. Waving his hand in a goodbye gesture, the older of the two demi-saiyajins shut the door and proceeded to escort his girlfriend, leaving Goten on his own again. But he actually did not mind; there was nothing else he wanted than to figure out what the mysterious ball was for, and there was nothing else he worried about than what the mysterious ball was for.

_Well, if something's bound to go wrong with the revolution, Yumi will get a glimpse of it. Besides, Trunks is there to protect her, _he assured himself to keep his mind off that matter and focus on the alien artifact he had found. He sat back down on the wooden chair and examined the orb for the thousandth time before he leaned back against the furniture to take a break. Black had never been a lovely color to stare at, especially if you've done so for hours.

He took the glass of water that was situated near the said ball to take a sip, but it was at that exact time that it slipped out of his grasp, the glass falling to the floor and breaking upon the impact; the water drenching the object the demi-saiyajin was examining. He jumped up, about to grab the ball and wipe it dry, when all the cracks glowed bright red, opened up, gave out smoke, and then --- something shot out from those cracks.

The upper half of the mysterious orb emitted six almost transparent beams from the cracks on it, beams that looked like geysers in a semi-circle formation. The effect of those beams was the most shocking part, however, for the said beams met at a common center and formed a barrier that enclosed the entire room. At that, Goten reached out to check on the barrier that was created, but found that he could not get past it. He then tried blasting a hole through it using his ki, but the blast he produced only bounced back from the barrier, and back again as it hit another part of the dome, hitting him in the end as the ball of energy couldn't go through.

As the grandfather clock at the living room announced that it was seven o'clock, a seventh beam shot out from the ball almost instantly, strengthening and widening the barrier that encompassed the basement, trapping the demi-saiyajin inside the dome of energy that could not be penetrated. He didn't know what to do anymore, so he grabbed the artifact to blast it instead.

But the ball wouldn't budge anymore. It seemed to anchor itself on the table where it was placed on. Left with no choice, the young man released his ki-blast to the alien object's direction, taking his chances. As soon as the ball came in contact with the blast, it closed off, the cracks disappearing as the components clamped against each other. The barrier, too, began to disintegrate as its source continued to burn from the demi-saiyajin's ball of energy.

Goten stared at it in horror, Hyouko Kaname's words echoing through his head.

_Briefs-Vegeta... It was... my mistake. The Most High... Ryuurai... He will... He will... He will in---_

"Invade," he finished, dread creeping up to him like a shockwave, and then, everything made sense. Everything fell into place, the puzzle completed. He backed off, frightened by the thought that struck him, and upon seeing that the barrier was light enough for him to go through, he rushed out of the basement and out of the apartment, desperate to find his friends and tell them all about it.

He was sure that there were more of those orbs, scattered all over the planet. He was sure that at midnight, all of those orbs would generate beams that will trap the entire planet under a barrier that would be impossible to penetrate, except perhaps, for Ryuujin spacecraft. He was sure that it would happen, because it rained just the other night, soaking the orbs and warming them up. preparing them for what they were supposed to do. He was sure that to stop the formation of the barrier, they must destroy all the orbs or have fire fall from the sky all over the world, any of which would be very hard to accomplish.

And he was sure that even with Trunks' help, he would not be able to save them all.

"I'm here."

"Thank you for coming, Miss Kaname," the Chief of Police acknowledged the young woman's arrival with a curt nod. She then took out two discs from under her coat, handing them to the other woman. "As promised."

Yumi, however, did not accept what the older woman offered. She looked at it for a few moments, before she averted her gaze to the policewoman and stared into her eyes, emeralds meeting sapphires. "How do I know this is not a trick?" she asked in a calm yet stern fashion, projecting that she was still in charge even if she was supposed to be some sort of pawn of the revolutionaries.

The other understood her uncertainties, as she felt the same when the Rebel Leader asked her to join their organization. "Anytime now," Videl began slowly, trying to make her voice as assuring as possible, "Officer Aira Touka, who is in charge on Briefs-Vegeta's case, will find the evidences, inform me about them, and declare his innocence." Her cellphone rang, filling the silent atmosphere with a sequence of shrilly notes. "In fact, here she is now."

Setting her cellphone on loudspeaker mode, Aira's voice boomed for the two women to hear out loud. _"Chief! Briefs-Vegeta is innocent!"_ she half-screamed in excitement and joy. After all, she was one of the demi-saiyajin's avid fans back when he was believed to be alive by everyone in the country. _"Nekichi-kun confirmed that the tiny bottle of liquid we found at Gashakura's place contained the viral solution that killed the Capsule Corporation employees! I knew there was a something fishy when he suddenly disappeared!"_

"Send the information to the press," the Chief advised her with a smirk directed toward the would-be President of their country, who was smiling widely in happiness, as her boyfriend was finally proven innocent. "Start with my contact, Erasa Ruberu; her number is at my desk. Then, put Gashakura's name on the wanted list. The citizens must know what really happened."

_"Aye, aye, Boss!"_

The call ended.

"Satisfied? Tomorrow, you and your boyfriend will make it to the headlines together again. Not the first time, is it?" she asked with a sly smile, causing the young woman who stood across her to flush noticeably in embarrassment. To Yumi's surprise, however, the older woman turned around to face the pile of technological junk that was situated behind them. "You may come out now, Trunks."

The demi-saiyajin did step out from behind the junk pile, but with drastically narrowed cerulean eyes that were just as stern as Videl's own. He looked at the policewoman with much apprehension, yet he, too, was surprised at how she knew he was spying on their conversation. "How do you know so much?"

"I've been taught well."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Let's just say that we have something in common," she blurted out before she smiled proudly. "Like you, I, too, was Gohan Son's apprentice." She held out her hand, signalling Trunks to keep quiet as she was going to explain things in detail. "He taught me the basics of his way of fighting. He taught me how to bring out my ki and control it. He taught me how to sense other people's ki and to hide my own, to prevent myself from being sensed. He taught me how to fly. And yet, I never got strong enough to fight the androids. He sternly warned me to stay away from them, while he tried to kill them whenever he got the chance."

"But that doesn't explain how you knew Yumi and I were together," Trunks retorted, still feeling suspicious. He and Gohan were like brothers during those dark years when they trained and fought the androids together, and yet the other demi-saiyajin never told him anything about training a girl. He didn't even slip, which was something that was supposed to happen easily.

She pulled out her wallet from the back pocket of her trousers. "My best friend, Erasa, is a journalist. She was covering the story of the Great Saiyaman's first appearance, when she found you standing on top of a nearby building with Yumi," she narrated, opening her wallet, pulling out the picture that was taken of them and handing it to the young man. "She wanted to make sure that she wasn't hallucinating, so she took a picture of you two."

Trunks took the picture, and showed it to his girlfriend. True, it was of both of them, looking down at the scene that Goten was making as the country's new superhero. At that, he looked at the young woman beside him and smirked. "You look really sexy when you're upset, you know?"

"Shut up," she snapped, embarrassed.

"You're really bad at accepting compliments," he pointed out flatly before handing the picture back to the policewoman. "So... what's the real deal with this revolution you're going to be initiating? To secure a bright future for all of us by murdering an incompetent ruler? Well, if that's the case, you're starting to sound like Kaname---" he trailed off, feeling Yumi's hard grip on his shoulder, and he immediately spun around to support her.

The other woman rushed to the demi-saiyajin's side to help him out. "What's going on?"

Before he could answer, Yumi's eyes snapped open, verdant eyes full of fear and panic. She was shivering, but still she forced herself to relay what she had seen. "Orbs," she muttered breathlessly, looking at Trunks who was holding her tight in his attempt to comfort her. "Black metal orbs, all over the planet. A barrier. Spaceships, thousands of them. And tails. Those tails we saw---"

"Trunks! Yumi!" a familiar voice called out from the night, star-filled sky, and soon after, the third compoent of their little gang landed a short way off where they were standing. He immediately rushed to his friends, noticing Yumi's condition and figuring that she had another vision, but he stopped short as he saw the other woman with them. "Videl."

"It's you. You're the Great Saiyaman," the policewoman identified, looking at the newcomer with disbelief. She had long felt two distinct power levels in the area. She knew one of them belonged to Trunks, but she had no idea to whom the other belonged to, except when the superhero made his appearance. Now, she was certain that the young man who just arrived was the man behind the ridiculous costume --- but she still wasn't satisfied at merely identifying his face. "But who are you?"

Goten was desperate to tell his friends what he found out, but he knew it was rude to ignore someone who asks you a question. He told the Chief, "I really wish I could explain right now, Videl, but there's something else that's we have to attend to at the moment. Or else we're doomed." He then turned to the couple. "The orb I found? It's alien. Ryuujin equipment. It creates a barrier that will be impossible to penetrate, and can only be destroyed by fire or ki-blasts. Problem is, it's most probably all over the planet, and it will be impossible to find and destroy them all before midnight. Remember what Yumi's dad wanted to tell us? I know what the last word is now. _Invade_."

"What are you three talking about? What invasion?" the older woman voiced out, putting her hands on her hips. "Listen, Saiyaman, I need answers! You're going to tell me who you are, and what's going on right now, or else I'm going to do something you won't like!"

The purple-haired demi-saiyajin shook his head, silently relaying that they shouldn't tell the policewoman anything. The other, however, only gave him an assuring look. "Okay, Videl. I'm going to tell you what you want to know. But I don't want you to interrupt me until I'm finished, all right? My name is Goten Son, the youngest son of Goku. I come from another time dimension, which was born out of Trunks' sacrifice, as he went there using a time machine and changed history. He prevented my father's death." He stopped as he saw the look of recognition on Videl's face. "Yes, Videl. I'm Gohan's younger brother."

She clasped her hand in front of her mouth. "Gohan's... younger brother?!"

He nodded. "I was transported here because of a time machine accident, and I can't go back until Trunks can build a new one. But that's not what's important at the moment, and definitely not the revolution you're trying to pull off to drag Yumi into Capitol Hall and make her this country's President," he said, frowning. "At midnight, we're going to be invaded by a bunch of nasty-looking aliens with long, horrid tails. We won't be able to stop them, because there's thousands of them and there are only two fighters in this planet with the power to stand up against them. And all over the planet, metal orbs are scattered, orbs that will generate a barrier that will prevent us from evacuating. Not that we have enough spaceships, anyway."

"I don't think that's the reason why they sent orbs like that in advance, though," Yumi pitched in all of a sudden, making all of them turn to her uneasily. She took a deep breath. "I think they want to capture the two of you," she said, looking at the demi-saiyajins who were looking at her intently. "Because you're saiyajins. Because you're powerful. Because you can be good pawns for their quest to rule the universe. I mean, they forced my father to work for them, and Kasumi, too. They were both powerful."

"No," the older of the two male warriors said, biting his lip. "I think they want to capture the two of us, Yumi. True, Goten and I can kick butt, but you have the rare ability of seeing the future. To have someone like you will be very advantageous for them. And as for Goten... well, they know nothing of him." He paused to think, but then immediately shook his head. "What are we going to do now? Any suggestions?"

They looked at each other, then at Videl, who stepped up to address them. "These things seem really bizarre," she admitted, "but I've grown and learned to believe, out of experience. These things you're telling me right now are nothing compared to the shock I received when my boyfriend suddenly turned blonde with green eyes, or when I gave birth to a little girl with a monkey's tail." 

She smiled, pausing to enjoy the shocked expression on the couple's faces, as it was the first time Yumi heard of a child with a tail, while Trunks was plainly surprised that his mentor had a daughter. Goten, however, only smiled back, noticing the sad, painful expression that appeared at the corners of her blue eyes as she recalled what happened in the past.

"As for the invasion," Videl said with a smirk, "how about giving your _captors_ a big surprise?"

---

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay everyone; I've been having trouble with school, Math most especially. It sucks. So anyway, hoped you like that chapter. Things are going to get really fishy from this point on --- but then, things are already fishy, ne? If you have anything to tell me, feel free to leave a review. Well, even if you don't really have anything to tell me, just leave a review and let me know what you think! And please be patient with the updates; I'm still at the adjustment stage in my college life, which is really holding me up and all. Arigatou gozaimasu minna! *smiles*


	20. Taking Chances

**Author's Note:** I'm alive! And so is this story. And yes, I must say that the previous chapter was "rushed". Horribly written, with the events apparently fast-forwarded, and for that I apologize. I just noticed it now after not having read it for literally _months_. I'll try to fix it up sometime, but I can't say when, as my life's very unpredictable at the moment, online or offline. Anyway, this chapter was delayed for so long because the original was thrown into oblivion when my computer crashed and was not recovered unlike the rest. In-betweeners are really very difficult to write.

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**

Act Two, Chapter Seven  
_Taking Risks, Taking Chances! Don't Be Afraid To Act, Trunks!_

* * *

"Why do I have a bad feeling about all this?"

"You're paranoid," Yumi pointed out flatly, shaking her head. She couldn't blame him, of course. Trunks had lived his life fighting evil to protect the ones he loved and cared for, and that included the whole world. Not that everyone else had been nice to him or anything, but simply because there was no one else who could do the job. She then turned to look at the Police Chief, whose cerulean eyes looked as serious as ever. "So you're saying that there's some kind of connection on one of those Ryuujin vessels that has direct control over those… orb thingies?"

"I'm hoping there is. Who knows how to fly a starfighter?" the older woman asked, rising from her seat and casting a look at the two half-saiyajins who stood not very far away from where she was. She took a small data card from the folds of her blazer and held it out for one of them to take, raising an eyebrow.

-**x**-

Trunks slid the card through the small computer by the ship's doorway and smuggled himself in, groaning at the sight of the vessel's interior. Being the most knowledgeable of them all regarding such technology, he offered to check up on the craft, but no sooner did he realize that he would have to fly the ship himself. And it was definitely not one he could rely on. It was a fairly large craft, yes, but it was only a Class C, and its shields, he feared, might not withstand the pressure the Earth's atmosphere had to offer.

"Tell me," he began, sticking his head back outside. "Why are we doing this again?"

"Because there's no other way to prevent us from being locked in this planet while those aliens blast us all to death. Unless you can find and deactivate all the orbs before midnight, or make fire rain from the sky without burning the whole planet. Can you?" Videl asked sharply, raising a raven eyebrow once more and putting her hands on her hips. She knew very well that the young warrior wasn't unwilling to do what was expected of him; he just didn't want to do anything that was short of a clear shot.

But they had no other alternative, no other options. They didn't have a clear shot. They barely knew anything about the invaders, let alone their technology and the means to stop a full-scale invasion. They had to take the risk. It was the only way they might be able to save the world from being plunged into turmoil once more.

He only stared at her with steely determination in his ice blue eyes. Then, in response to her challenging words, he took a step backward and pulled the craft's door shut, before he headed for the cockpit to study the controls.

-**x**-

"Grreetings, men. We will be in Chikyuuuu space in approximately fouurr hours. We will then prroceed as planned. Prreparre for battle. The beginning of ouurr trriuumph is at hand!" His tail whipped violently behind him as his monstrous face broke into a sardonic smile.

"Commanderr Rryuuuuki," his right-hand man, Shiryuu, began slowly, cautiously taking a step closer to him. "What abouut the saiyajin Trruunks Brriefs-Vegeta? He is one of the last memberrs of theirr rrace, and he couuld be a verry valuable addition to ourr armada. What arre we going to do abouut him, if I may be bluunt to ask?"

Ryuuki only grinned. "We will captuurre him, of couurrse. Forrce him to worrk forr ouurr glorriouus plans. Huumans, as youu might have noticed, happen to be verry protective of theirr mates and offsprring. They will do anything forr theirr safety and salvation – that, youu've seen, was Kanrryuu's downfall. And that brrat, being parrt-huuman, is no exception. If he rresists, howeverr…"

His smile darkened even more. "I will take the pleasuurre of killing him."

-**x**-

"How is it to be a single mom?"

Videl sighed, leaning back against her chair as if she suddenly lost all of her strength. "Hard. Especially when you don't have a high-paying job, and you have to take care of a very hyper two-year-old and a father who can't move. He was paralyzed, you see, when he tried to save me from a collapsing building, which the androids decided to play target practice with."

She shut her eyes for a moment, driving the pain and the heartache away. That day was still very clear in her memory, as if it was only yesterday when it happened. That was the day she swore to stop running away, to fight the androids instead. It was a lost cause, she had been told, but she didn't care about risking her life for such. She couldn't stand the thought of many others getting hurt, or even killed, because of their monstrosity.

And that was the day she met Gohan. Ablaze with fury, she had chosen to confront the androids to make them pay for their atrocity – and was nearly killed, had it not been for the mysterious golden-haired warrior she had later known and loved. He had saved her from their demonic clutches, and given her hope that she wasn't fighting a lost cause on her own. So was he.

She wondered if those words were what drew her to him.

When she reopened her eyes, her gaze landed on the computer screen, and she shook her head. "One hundred and eighty orbs, all over the planet. We'll never get them all," she said helplessly. She then reverted her gaze Yumi, who was peering casually at the screen, trying not to display her disappointment at the discovery. "It's really up to you three."

The young woman nodded in agreement. She was about to say something more, however, when Videl's watch alerted them that it was already eight o'clock. She watched the older woman shut her laptop, rise from her seat, and smile at her. Confused at the gesture, she asked, "Where are you going?"

"It's eight o'clock. One hour more before Shidoosha's scheduled termination. Well, Miss President, I don't want us to be late for the assembly. Shall we head out for Capitol Hall now?"

"Wait," Yumi interrupted, paling. Realization had dawned upon her, and it was evident in her verdant eyes that she understood every word that the policewoman said, yet she refused to believe what she had just heard. After all, it was no time to talk about politics when the fate of the world and the lives of everyone in it hung in the balance. Softly, unbelievingly, she inquired in a voice indicating that she was afraid of the answer, "You mean we're pushing through with that?"

"The invasion isn't until midnight," Videl replied a matter-of-factly.

"_You're crazy!_"

The raven-haired woman allowed a smile. "Yes, I am. I've known that for a while. Ever since I decided to go up against the androids, who I could never overpower even in my dreams. Now, come. The people await your arrival." She extended her hand for her to take, but promptly stopped upon seeing the look on her youthful face, smirking. "Ah, I see. You don't want to leave without your boyfriend, or his consent."

"Trunks is not my boyfriend," she snapped defensively.

Videl laughed, permitting herself to give in to the privilege of enjoying the scene. It reminded her so much on how she had denied her feelings for Gohan when it was so obvious to everyone else. She was exactly like Yumi back then. "He isn't, all right. You know, you should watch out for the expressions you're projecting. Your face betrays you."

She steered their conversation off-topic, not wanting to talk about the arrogant purple-haired jerk who had captured her heart. Not only was it not the time to, she also didn't want anyone else to know what was going on between them. It didn't seem right for it to be publicized. "Can we at least just let Shidoosha-san step down from his position and not kill him? The killing part's making me really uncomfortable."

"I'll keep that suggestion in mind. Now let's go."

Defeated, Yumi only hung her head in silence as she followed the Chief of Police to the parking lot of the already-abandoned Capsule Corporation. Before she got into the car, she took a glance at the CEO's office at the upper floor, and told herself that Trunks would be there back there when the chaos would be over. And she would be there, too, right beside him.

-**x**-

"Hey, Goten." Trunks climbed out of the starfighter and sat beside the other demi-saiyajin, who was squatting on the grassy terrain and looking at the starlit sky thoughtfully. When he had caught the other's attention, he asked, "Have you ever been up against something like this in your time?"

"You mean against a whole bunch of alien invaders? Nope. And certainly not those with this kind of technology." He shivered. "Trapping us inside our own planet while they carry us off into who-knows-where or blast us to oblivion. It's a brilliant tactic. And the fact that we didn't notice anything the past few days… I mean, how could they have placed all those orbs without us sensing them?"

The older of the two shrugged. "Machines, I guess. With technology like this, they could have robots walking around with everyone else and we won't know the difference. I don't know. I hate just speculating about what they might have done and can do. I want to do something about this, and a clear shot, at that. I'm tired of taking chances."

Goten looked at him with his deep raven eyes, understanding what he felt inside. "Nothing's ever sure in this universe, Trunks. Many times we have to take in what we know and do something, improvise, based on that limited knowledge. And sometimes, it doesn't matter if we know something for sure or just suspect about that something. Now, you want to protect Yumi because you love her and you know that she loves you back. Question, if you didn't know that she loved you back, would you still want to protect her?"

"Of course. What kind of question is that?"

"My point exactly. Now, we don't know much about these aliens, but are you still going to go up there and do something to stop them from slaughtering us all? Or will you wait until you have an entire database about them before you act? That would be too late, wouldn't it? Wouldn't you take the chance?" He caught the other's gaze. "Don't be afraid to act, Trunks. What we're about to do may throw the world into chaos once more, and well, even kill some people or a lot of them, but no one can blame us for trying. No one would have the right to. And if someone would, well, did he even _try_ to do something to save the world? Ask him that. Ask yourself that."

-**x**-

One didn't have to be an expert on human emotions to figure out that Videl was anxious. Yumi, however, wondered what she was worried about. Before they left for Capitol Hall, she had taken a trip down memory lane, but the feelings she had brought with her to the surface were sadness and regret, not unease. Her fretfulness only began to manifest itself when they started their trip to the political capital of Japan.

She couldn't take it anymore. "Is something wrong?"

The policewoman peered at the side mirror for a moment before gripping the steering wheel even tighter. "I would be lying if I would tell you that everything's fine." She glanced at the rear view mirror next. "When we were leaving Capsule Corporation, I saw a shadow. I blinked and it was gone – and that's the part that worries me. There are only two probable explanations to that, and both spell trouble for you. First, there's a Ryuujin in the area, and it has sensed your life force; second, we have an assassin on our tail, out to get you."

Unconsciously, the brown-haired young lady gripped the edge of her seat tightly, to the point that her knuckles turned white. She had been into life-threatening situations, of course, but she had been with Trunks then. Not that she didn't trust Videl, but it was a lot different when her knight in shining armor was around. "And I won't get a vision about this because it concerns me," Yumi finished, her features paling considerably.

Videl reached out to squeeze her shoulder in assurance. "Listen. I'm not a half-alien super warrior, but I've got what it takes to take care of you. For one, I'm a very good driver." By then she had already increased their speed up a notch. She then cast a smile at the future president's direction. "Just make sure you hang on to something, okay?"


	21. Second Encounter

**Author's Note:** I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who still continued to support me in this project. You guys are really great, and I truly appreciate your assistance. Thank you. And so, as some sort of Christmas present, I bring to you three new chapters of this fic. Enjoy!

And yes, if you would be so kind, please do review. I'm short on inspiration right now. :p

* * *

**Act Two, Chapter Eight  
****_The Z-Senshi and the Ryuujins' Second Encounter! Destruction and Death Await the Losers!_**

* * *

A gun was fired, and the spectators screamed, panicking.

But it was not the gunshot that was supposed to end Honoo Shidoosha's life, as the Prime Minister willingly stepped down from his position when the citizens of Japan requested him to. He earned himself a new degree of respect from the people, but it was too late for that to change anything, because someone else had already been chosen by the people to put their crumbling nation together.

The gunshot they all heard was the shot that was meant to end the life of Yumi Kaname, the 18-year-old daughter of the greatest Prime Minister their country had ever produced, who was brought into the position of President through the revolution that harnessed the power of the Japanese civilians. She stumbled backwards, a hand over her wounded chest.

Videl Satan, the Chief of the Tokyo Police Force, felt that something bad was going to happen to their new ruler, but she didn't know what that something was nor when it was going to happen. As much as she tried to prevent the young woman from being shot by the assassin who had followed them all the way from Capsule Corporation, she was unable to save the other in the nick of time.

Lying on the cold, concrete floor, she felt so alone. Not only was the pain gobbling her up from the hollow in her chest, the darkness was beginning to engulf her as well. She was slipping from the dainty balance of life, and into what was waiting below it. She no longer knew what was going on around her; the only thing she knew was that she was falling into something that she might not be able to get out of.

She screamed. _Trunks!_

Then, to her surprise, she saw white.

-**x**-

The hospital door slid open, and the two demi-saiyajins slipped in as quietly as possible. The older of the two was gazing at the patient with extremely worried expression on his pale face, his sad sapphire eyes fixed on her repose features. As hepulled out a chair and sat by her bedside, however, she groaned and fluttered her green eyes open, turning to the young man who by then was sporting a huge smile.

"Hey, Miss President, nice to see you again!"

"You finally come to," Trunks said with happiness. "How are you feeling?"

She smiled in return, although weakly, flashing the said smile from one demi-saiyajin to the other. Her watchful eyes rested on the purple-haired young man, and with a soft sigh, she replied, "Numb. I'm not used to getting shot, you know." She took a glance at the bandages, then back at her friends. "But I'm fine now. There's no need for you to worry."

"I should've been there-"

"It wasn't your fault," she chided lightly, meeting her boyfriend's gaze. She knew that he cared for her so much, but she wanted him to know that it would be useless to blame himself for what happened, as it was beyond his control. "Things like this happen. You do have the power to save the world, but that doesn't mean you can do everything."

He seemed to be angered by that, although it was most probably due to the fact that he had lost so many loved ones because he simply wasn't strong enough. The wrong words came out of his mouth, however, and the moment those slipped through him he knew they were going to be in another war of words. "If you only told me that you were leaving-"

Anger erupted in her all of a sudden, making her emerald orbs light up in flame. "Now it's _my _fault?!" she half-screamed in a frustrated tone, her hands clamped into fists. By the doorway, she could see Goten gesturing for her to calm down, but it was too late, as the trigger had been pulled. "Don't you dare yell at me like that! Just because you're very much capable of taking care of yourself, just because you're very much capable of catching a bullet with your bare hands doesn't mean you can shout at me just like that!"

The demi-saiyajin panicked. "No, I'm not blaming you! I'm just-"

The young woman wasn't buying it at all. "Yeah that's right, you're not! Why don't you tell me what you're doing anyway? Praising me for my idiocy?" she snapped, glaring at him fiercely and doing her best to ignore her other friend who was waving his arms frantically for her to put an end to their argument.

That was when the black-haired demi-saiyajin decided to interrupt, although he was hesitant in doing so. It was evident in his ebony eyes that he didn't want to cause any more trouble than there already was. "Um, guys," came his soft, somewhat shaky voice, "we're in a hospital, you know."

To his shock, they both fell silent.

And it was just in time that they did, for a few heartbeats later, the door once again slid open, and the Chief of Police stepped in casually, followed by her best friend, Erasa. The latter was looking at Yumi with a proud smile on her bright features, as she was a supporter of the Kaname faction, when she noticed the purple-haired young man who was at her bedside. She could not help but allow her mouth to hang open in surprise. After all, she didn't think she'd see him again.

"This is Erasa Ruberu, my best friend," Videl flashed a knowing smile at the other woman's direction, "and one of the newswriters of _Satan City Times_. Erasa, this is - well, you know who they are. Yumi Kaname, newly-appointed President of the New Republic, and Trunks Briefs-Vegeta, former CEO of Capsule Corporation."

But by then, the journalist was staring at someone else. "Who's he?" she asked, gaping at the black-haired demi-saiyajin.

Videl and Goten looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes, and swallowed. "Goten," he replied, deciding to answer her with honesty.

"Oh, hi!" Erasa winked. "You're cute, you know?"

_Same old Erasa,_ the demi-saiyajin told himself with a smile, his raven eyes suddenly expressing nostalgia. He missed his timeline a lot, and yet he could not return until his best friend's counterpart would build him a time machine, which would most probably take place after the invasion. He was snapped out by his reverie, however, when Yumi coughed lightly, apparently in interruption. As her half-alien friends made her gaze, she gestured towards the clock at her bedside with a slight tilt of her head.

It was only a few minutes untill ten.

"Oh no, I'm _not_ going!"

The policewoman immediately knew what they were going to discuss, so she quickly pulled her companion away, excusing themselves. As the door slipped shut, Yumi and Goten were looking at the third member of their alliance with surprised expressions on their faces. "Why not?" they chorused, not understanding why the other demi-saiyajin changed his mind all of a sudden.

He sighed. "I have to stay with you," he reasoned out, standing up and looking at his girlfriend in the eye. His voice had a stubborn edge, and they knew it would take them a lot of time – and a lot of luck – to change his mind and convince him to move on with their original plan. "What if someone's going to try to kill you again? I failed you the first time; I can't fail you again!"

"Trunks," the young woman interrupted, exasperation evident in the tone of her voice. She was looking at the demi-saiyajin with equally stubborn green eyes, trying to convince him, and convince him fast. "We're going to be invaded in two hours. Go, please."

He sat back down by her side and reached out to enclose her hand in his, caressing it lightly. He seemed to be in deep thought, and his friend did not dare to interrupt him as he made his decision on the matter at hand. After what seemed to be a long time, he let out a sigh, defeated. "Why don't you oracles see the bad things that are going to happen to you anyway? It's not fair."

She shrugged in response, but forced a smile. There was no use worrying him even more than he already was. "Well..." she began, rather uncertain of what to say, "what fun would it be to live life knowing what would happen to you and what your future would be like? Please, Trunks."

Again, he let out a sigh, this time meeting her pleading gaze. "All right," he told her softly, before he let go of her hand and smiled. "But only because you asked." He then stood up, but his deep blue eyes narrowed drastically as he thought of the other problem they had in their hands. "And now, we need a decoy."

He looked at Goten and smirked.

-**x**-

"Why, of all people, do _I _have to do this?!"

The older demi-saiyajin only smiled, before he pressed the button that dropped their starfighter into standby mode. "Because those alien invaders will want Trunks Briefs-Vegeta and Yumi Kaname," he answered, turning to face Goten who was dressed up like a girl, hair and all, "and she's down there at the hospital, injured. Don't worry, it'll be a wonderful experience."

Goten snorted, looking at his reflection on the viewscreen and frowning at how ridiculous he looked. "Some experience," he muttered with clenched teeth, obviously not in favor of what has transpired, but was left without a choice. That was then when something blinked from the control panel, followed by the sound of cackling static. "Um, Trunks, I think we're being hailed."

He flipped the switch and they listened. _"Unindentified starrfighterr, this is Commanderr Rryuuuuki of the Drragonwing Squuadrron. Trransmit youurr identification code immediately and state youurr buusiness, orr we will shoot youu down. I rrepeat, unindentified starrfighterr, this is Commanderr Rryuuuuki of the Drragonwing Squuadrron. Trransmit-"_

"I hear you, Commander Ryuuki," the older demi-saiyajin replied coolly, suppressing a grimace that might alter the tone of his voice. Goten, who was beside him, did not even dare to hide his scowl. "I am Trunks Briefs-Vegeta, pilot of _Kismet_. With me is my co-pilot, Yumi Kaname." At that, his companion's scowl deepened. "Actually, we are here to negotiate."

-**x**-

The Commander's eyes flashed in satisfaction as he heard the other's response to his call. "Just the people we're looking for," he muttered with a toothy smile, his hands clasped casually behind his back. He then nodded at his right-hand, Shiryuu, signaling him to resume the exchange. "Verry well, we shall negotiate. I shall be expecting youu in my stuudy in half an houurr. My rright-hand man, Shirryuuuu, shall give youu the instrruuctions. Good day."

He turned around sharply to leave, his troops rising up to salute him. As he walked away, Shiryuu began relaying the instructions to the Chikyuujin starship _Kismet_, earning the affirmation of its demi-saiyajin pilot. The Ryuujin Commander's mind was not completely at ease, however, and as he trudged towards his study, a lot of questions were going through his head, questions that he never thought he would ask himself when they planned out the invasion plot.

Their targets managed to intercept them, and they seemed to know what time the invasion was supposed to take place. But how? He knew that Yumi Kaname was an oracle, but he, too, knew that her vision would not have relayed the time they were going to strike. How, then, did they figure out the Ryuujin's vector and the time they would appear in their system?

His alien eyes, golden and eccentric in shape, narrowed considerably at that. There was something – rather, _someone_ – they would have to look out for, aside from the _Kismet_'s saiyajin pilot, and the future-seeing young woman with him. He didn't know who that was, but he knew it would not be long before he would find out. After all, they were going to negotiate in half an hour.

And once that someone is out of their way, the invasion will proceed as they planned.

-**x**-

"Look, Erasa, I'm not in favor of what you're trying to pull off here," Yumi said to the journalist who was eyeing her with a smirk, then shook her head. "You're supposed to be a newswriter, so you should stick to what's true and not on some scam that'll serve as Trunks' welcome-back party. Isn't that supposed to be writer's etiquette?"

The other woman smiled. "You sure know your stuff, Miss President," she complimented with a wink, leaning back on the chair she had pulled from the nearby table, before she raised an eyebrow. "But then again, you seem so concerned about Mr. Briefs-Vegeta, and I don't think that's it's plainly friendship, as your eyes tell me something else."

A heavy sigh escaped the teenager's lips. "Is it _that _obvious?"

"Oh yes," she answered enthusiastically, "and since you practically admitted that it's true, I'm going to write an article about it that'll brighten up the headlines!" Yumi scowled at that, however, so she grinned playfully to soothe her. "I was kidding. I stick to what the public needs to know, thank you, like some policeman's dirty work to frame up one of the most successful businessmen in the country."

Then, she found herself adding, "You two are so much like Gohan and Videl."

"Huh?"

It was the journalist who sighed, this time. "Gohan, Miss Chief of Police's boyfriend," she told the other with a sad look in her eyes. "They loved to deny that they had feelings for each other, they loved to deny that they weren't in a relationship, even though it was really obvious. But he was killed by the androids --- and that was a few days before they were supposed to get married. She was pregnant, too."

A dreadful thought then struck Yumi. _What if Trunks is going to get killed by the Ryuujins?_ She shook her head to drive it away, but she knew that it was possible. Despite the fact that her boyfriend was a powerful warrior, he was not invincible, and that was very true. She told him herself, _"You do have the power to save the world, but that doesn't mean you can do everything."_

All of a sudden, the oracle's world spun.

**_A starfighter, small but full of firepower, streaked across the vast expanse of star-lined velvet, and hit the largest ship that led the flotilla of alien invaders that was labeled Dragonwing. Several other crafts broke their formation and circled around the said ship, their weapons activated and ready to fire._**

**_As fire began to eat the Dragonwing, a laugh was heard. Loud, maniacal, and... undeniably female. "This is the fleet that's supposed to invade that mudball of a planet?" she sneered, her figure merely a silhouette against the bright wall of flame that burned at her back. "And you're the warriors who are supposed to prevent the invasion? Pathetic!"_**

**_She raised her hand, palm upward, and her ki began to take the form of a ball. As its color clashed with the fierce hues from behind her, her face was illuminated, exposing her sardonic features that were familiar, yet at the same time, new._**

**_"Vengeance is mine," she whispered in a soft yet lethal tone, her turquoise eyes blazing savagely, in almost a crazed fashion. Despite the fact that her hair was clipped short, and that her pale, pointed face had matured considerably, there was absolutely no mistaking who she was._**


	22. TenThirteen

**

* * *

**

**Act Two, Chapter Nine  
****_The Arrival of A Bigger Threat! Ten-Thirteen's Explosive Return!_**

* * *

"Remind me to take a picture of you when this is all over," the lavender-haired demi-saiyajin blurted out with a mischievous grin, earning another scowl from his companion who was trudging behind him with a sullen look on his pale features. The hallway they had to go through to reach the study of their Ryuujin host was empty and unusually silent, enough to ignite suspicion at the back of the half-aliens' minds.

They stopped upon arriving in front of a metal door, which had a something like a name in the Ryuujin's native language etched upon it. Trunks threw a glance at his friend, who nodded, indicating that he was ready for whatever was beyond that door, and that was when the former reached for the activation button just beside the door, making the metal plate slide open.

The room was fairy large, but very simple. It hardly had any equipment except for a couple of reclining chairs arranged around a round table, a large viewscreen at the far end, and a control panel with an assortment buttons, switches, levers, joysticks and the like. The walls were covered with black velvet cloth, and basically everything else in the room had the deep shade of black that the aliens seemed to favor.

"Welcome," a growl-sounding voice began from the far end of the room, and as the demi-saiyajins stepped in, they found their host sitting by the viewscreen on one of the reclining chairs, his back turned against them. In a few moments, however, he spun around to greet the newcomers with a smile that exposed his dagger-like teeth. "I am Commanderr Rryuuuuki. I am honorred that youu couuld both join me."

Trunks elbowed Goten, who cleared his throat and responded in a forced female tone, "The pleasure is ours, sir."

The alien's eyes narrowed, as if cross-examining the _woman_ who accompanied the demi-saiyajin, but he threw away all the suspicions he had in mind. Not that those suspicions mattered anyway. "Please, sit down," he told them, gesturing towards the seats by the table as he, too, moved towards them, eager to get into business. "Now, what was it youu wanted to talk abouut?"

Taking advantage that their adversary was focused on the older demi-saiyajin, Goten crossed his leg and swung around casually. The switch, button, or whatever the orb-controlling device was, was just supposed to be around there somewhere. _And we have to find it,_ he finished, biting his lip.

"Well... about your project, actually."

"I see," Ryuuki replied, pursing his lips. He waited for his guests to continue, but then he noticed that they didn't know how to start up the discussion. After all, how would they expect to tell their enemies that they know about the upcoming invasion when they weren't supposed to? "Buut youu don't seem to be comforrtable with the suubject. Well, then, let's go strraight to the point." He paused to lean back against his chair, smirking. "Gentlemen-"

A whole armada of Ryuujins stepped out from all directions, closing on their guests and leaving them with no way out.

"- herre arre ouurr guuests forr this evening. Please make suurre that theirr stay herre will be comforrtable and memorrable. Buut afterr midnight, they will be guuests no longerr. They will be..." Ryuubuki's voice trailed off, pausing for a moment to reveal a mischievous, toothy smile that sent shivers down his guests' spines. "... _slaves_."

-**x**-

"Trunks! Trunks, do you copy?! Kasumi's out there, and she's going to kill you! Something's new about her! I don't know what, but --- Trunks? Trunks!" Not earning a transmission in reply from the spaceship they had been monitoring, Yumi slammed her fists on the control panel in frustration. She then told her companion, "They don't seem to be in the ship. The line isn't jammed, but they're not responding. They must've moved into the main ship already."

Her heart pounded heavily as she said those words. Even if her friends would be able to find the device that would reverse the function of the orbs, and thus save the world from the upcoming invasion, they would still get killed if they won't know what to expect. Kasumi, her father's killing machine, nearly slaughtered the demi-saiyajin at their last confrontation; this time, Yumi was sure the woman would not taken any chances.

Videl took her place and attempted to contact the two warriors once again. "I believe you're right on that," the Chief of Police relayed after some time, her blue eyes narrowed at that development. She turned around to face her boss. "The best thing we can do is transmit a message of warning, but encoded in a way that only they would understand. Do you have some code or something that they would know how to crack?"

The President only shook her head. "No, we didn't make one. We didn't find the use for one anyway. But..." her voice trailed off, a thought crossing her. Ever since the time they infiltrated the Kaname Mansion, she and Trunks had developed a strange kind of bond that allowed them to communicate through their minds. Telepathically, so to speak. If she would be able to contact him with that, it would save them all the trouble. "Hang on."

The young woman spun around, closing her eyes in concentration. Meanwhile, a head popped through the door of the control room, revealing the smiling face of Aira, one of the officers under Videl's department. "Miss President! Chief!" she called out, her expression that of readiness to help out. "What's going on? Anything I can help you with?"

"We need to prepare our troops," she voiced out all of a sudden, making Yumi turn around to face her. Their eyes met; worried green meeting solemn blue. Even the other policewoman stopped what she was doing, leaning forward to listen. "In case they fail, we'll still have hope."

"Very well," Yumi agreed with a nod, the safety of her people coming to mind. She didn't know what was going to happen, but she knew that she would be able to do something about it. She cocked her head to the side slightly, her gaze resting on the eavesdropping police officer, who by then stepped into the room. "_Chief_ Touka, please get the Tokyo Force ready. Stay alert and on guard."

A grin spread on Aira's face, then she took up a sharp salute. "Yes, sir!"

At that, the President turned the former Chief of Police, and smiled. "_Secretary of Defense_ sounds good, doesn't it?" she asked, offering yet another promotion. She didn't know what she was doing; but she was sure that she had positions to fill. And who else would she put into but the people she knew well? "Well, then, Miss Satan, you're in charge."

-**x**-

_What is it, Yumi?_ Trunks relayed in reply, wondering why his girlfriend was contacting him through the bond instead of the standard methods, but he did not get the opportunity to hear her reply, as he found himself intimidating the Ryuujin Commander who had taken the first step into _enslaving_ them. "You sure are full of surprises, Commander," he commented with a smug grin.

"The key to a suuccessful invasion is the element of suurrprrise, youu see." He flashed his toothy smile once again. "A half-saiyajin and a weak female huuman wouuldn't even take a minuute. Gentlemen, please give ouurr guuests the brriefing they arre rrequuirred to uunderrtake."

The younger of the two demi-saiyajins spared an uneasy glance, but the other only smiled confidently in response, eventually allowing a knowing smirk to leak in. "Sure, a half-saiyajin and a weak female human wouldn't even take a minute of your precious time. But I wonder..." he paused, sweeping his gaze from the band of aliens that surrounded them. "... can you handle _two_ half-saiyajins?"

-**x**-

_Target locked._

She gave the viewpanel one last look, running through the entire plan one last time to make sure everything was going to go as intended, before she unfastened the seatbelts and placed the craft in standby mode. Then, she put two fingers to her forehead, a sardonic smile crawling up through her sallow, pointed face. "Vengeance is mine."

-**x**-

A starfighter, small but full of firepower, streaked across the vast expanse of star-lined velvet, and hit the largest ship that led the flotilla of alien invaders that was labeled _Dragonwing_. Several other crafts broke their formation and circled around the said ship, their weapons activated and ready to fire.

"Shirryuuuu," the Commander called out to his right-hand as the collision rocked the starfighter, his gaze steady on their guests who were ready to fight, even the weak female human with the power to see the future. At least, that was what they believed in. "Deal with them. I will check it ouut myself."

On the other hand, the warning bell at the back of Goten's mind began to ring furiously. Not because of the fact that the Commander was seemingly attempting to escape, but because of the violent encounter that had just taken place. "See it yet, Trunks?" he asked his comrade, while looking at one control board to the other, trying to find the button that would deactivate the orbs. They were, after all, running out of time.

The older of the two warriors shook his head slightly, careful to keep his guard up, as their opponents were going to strike anytime. "Nope, but I'm ready to blast this ship, though, to end all our misery. Are you with me?" he asked, before his gaze darkened. "There's one downer to that idea of mine, though. We'll never be able to make it back home alive, unless we can find a way to breathe in vacuum. Which is, at the moment, impossible."

Goten looked worried, now more than ever. "We could do that, but why am I seeing starships crowding around this metal junk pile we're in?" he inquired, half-looking at the viewscreen that showed the flaming hull of the gigantic vessel and the numerous fighter ships, of Ryuujin class, surrounding it. "I mean, they're supposed to be of the same fleet, and they're supposed to have the same mission. But from the looks of it---"

Realization crossed Trunks' face. "_Kasumi_."

"What?"

"It's her. I knew it," the older of the two blurted out, taking a deep breath to push away his newly-felt anxiety. "I felt her earlier, but I wasn't sure if I really did, as I haven't felt her presence ever since Kaname's assassination." His voice dropped in dread. "She can teleport and control minds, Goten. And she's been trying to kill me for as long as I could remember --- what better way to do it than to expose us to the horrors of vacuum? She knows there isn't any way out."

"And I believe she's in this ship right this minute," Goten pitched in, his eyes narrowing considerably. Everything he felt ever since the mysterious collision of the two starfighters finally made sense, especially the song of warning that pounded inside his head.

-**x**-

Ryuuki ran, tearing through the fiery corridor, his heart pounding in dread and alarm. He didn't think it was possible for Ten-Thirteen to make it to the rendezvous point when she was hours late, but he was proved wrong. And he knew she was capable of doing other things, just like what she had exhibited. After all, she defeated Ryuurai, the Ryuujin Emperor, at the tender age of seven.

He stopped, flinging his arms to drive away the walls of fire that threatened to close on him left and right. If she was in the ship, he had to eliminate her, and eliminate her _fast_, no matter what her motives were. The fact that she sent one of the fleet's starfighters crashing into the leader's vessel was enough to make him want to put an end to her life. Cursing in his own native language, he pushed his way through the scorching barriers -

- and was soon forced to a halt.

"Commander Ryuuki, pleasure to catch up with you at long last. You and your Ryuujin imps," a young woman snarled in a low, bitter tone as the flames of hell erupted from behind her, eating away the ship's hull slowly but steadily. "How dare you betray a comrade. Oh, don't play games with me. You shot me down that night. That night when my Master died."

"It was a mistake," the alien warrior replied, looking at her intently. "A merre mistake, Ten-Thirrteen. I apologize if it cauused youu muuch discomforrt. Youu see, the trransmission youu sent ouut did not arrrrive in time. And since youu werre piloting a vessel with no marrkings, we thouught youu werre the pilot of a trrading ship that couuld cauuse morre damage than we couuld anticipate. So we did what we werre tauught."

Her gaze darkened. "I did _not_," she began in a steely tone, glaring at the Ryuujin Commander with as much force as she could muster, "transmit anything. Because you didn't even allow me to. And here you are, saying that I did. You liar! You knew it was me all along, and don't even try to deny that any more than you already have!"

The alien stretched out his arms. "If vengeance is what youu desirre," he interrupted, looking at her calmly, "then attack me. Slay me. I am uunarrmed; youu shouuld have no trrouuble erradicating someone like me. Go on, Ten-Thirrteen. Vengeance is youurrs. It's within youurr rreach. Grrab it now."

But she could not move. She compelled herself to lunge at him, to silence him for good, but she could not move a muscle. When her gaze landed on the other's horrid-looking face, she found him smiling like nothing happened. "Oh my," Ryuuki muttered, mock disbelief the expression on his face. "What have I done to make suuch misforrtuune land on dearr Ten-Thirrteen? It muust be the _Guuuuq_; I'd forrgotten youu had it-"

Then, he himself could not move.

"The _Guuuuq_ only allows you physical control, Commander Ryuuki," Kasumi informed him in a voice as cold and inert as her sapphire eyes. "I, on the other hand, can control you mentally, even if the _Guuuuq_ in me is under your influence. I don't need to be able to move to do some damage. Funny how things happen." She winked at him. "If you want us to have a glaring contest until this ship explodes into nothingness, feel free to continue. After all, I'll only need a second to teleport myself out of here."

"What do youu want?"

"You said it yourself, Commander. _Vengeance_. I've taken it upon myself to eliminate your race of alien scums," the assassin explained casually, as if it was something she did everyday. Which was, in a sense, true - although to use _everyday_ would be total exaggeration. "And I will use the needed strategy to get to that end, whatever that would be."

Despite the easygoing tone of her voice, however, the Ryuujin clearly saw the anger that shone fiercely through her eyes, and he was not willing to take any more chances at the situation he was facing. "It is simply becauuse of that misuunderrstanding? That might have cauused muuch misforrtuune on youurr parrt, buut I assuurre youu, that won't happen again. Youu have my worrd on that."

She looked scornful. "Tsk, tsk. The leader of this exceptional fleet is striking a bargain - _pleading_ - with someone like me. How touching," she stated, but then her voice dropped drastically. "But that won't change anything. That event you called a misunderstanding changed everything. You don't and you'll never know how much. And because of that, I'm going to kill you. _All_ of you."

Those words seemed to be the trigger to the young woman's remarkably planned assault. The starfighters that circled around the lead ship of the fleet moved even closer; their weapons charged and ready to fire. It was clear that if the assassin would release her hold on the pilots' minds, allowing them to fire, the _Dragonwing_ would be disintegrated in no time.

_"Fire."_


	23. Twist of Fate

* * *

**Act Two, Chapter Ten  
****_In the Midst of Catastrophe, an Unexpected Twist of Fate! Old Enemies, New… Allies?_**

* * *

The starfighters that surrounded the _Dragonwing_ fired in succession, intending to totally destroy the vessel and eradicate everyone present inside. Fire began to eat the Ryuujin starship, and in the midst of all the heat and eye-stinging light, the female assassin let out a loud, maniacal laugh. "_This_ is the fleet that's supposed to invade that mudball of a planet?" she sneered, her figure becoming a mere silhouette against the bright wall of flame that burned behind her back. "Pathetic!"

Despite what was going on, however, Ryuuki did not let her go. He was determined to hold on to her _Guuuuq_ until his last breath, so that if he would die at the ship's explosion, he would be taking her with him. The Commander had an intense dislike towards infidels, and what Ten-Thirteen had just exhibited was enough to make him classify her as one.

Noticing that her adversary was too stubborn for his own good, she focused her attention on a medium-sized metal plate that lay unnoticed behind the Ryuujin's back and levitated it, aiming to strike the alien warrior and eventually, force him to let go of his hold on her. She struck – once, twice, thrice – and sent the Commander to the ground, underneath the said metal panel, but he did not flinch at all.

"No matterr what youu do," he told her as she used her mind to push the alien to the wall and pin him there, trying to choke him, "I will not rrelease youu. Kill me if that is what youu desirre, buut that will get youu nowherre. Any moment now, this vessel will be nothing, juust as we will be."

"Oh no, Commander. Vengeance is _mine_," she whispered with a voice barely above a whisper, anger surging through her at the other's words, before she exerted more force into what she was doing. She had made the decision that she was going to silence him for good. However, it was also at that moment when she lost her control over the pilots of the other starfighters – as it took much concentration to pull off that feat – and the ships were thrown off-course, slamming either into each other, or into the battered head of the fleet.

By reflex, her attention was transferred to her grip on the aliens' minds that was slipping out of her control, but she overdid it that her psychic hold on Ryuuki was released. Like a fierce jungle predator, the Commander lunged, sending both of them to the cold floor, but with her falling headfirst. Acting once again on reflex, she shifted her focus on her adversary and attempted to throw him off her, but to no avail.

It wasn't only because she was losing her concentration due to everything she was doing; Ryuuki had locked his iron claws into both her shoulders for anchorage, causing her intense pain that distracted her greatly. She focused on keeping him still instead, so he would not be able to do any more damage, but before she could even make that move, the other's sharp-edged tail had removed from its hiding place, snaked its way to her, and wrapped itself around her neck, robbing her of precious air.

Ten-Thirteen's vision began to blur, but at such a fast rate that she wondered what had gone wrong. All of a sudden, she no longer felt the alien's claws on her shoulder, only the pain that swallowed her whole. _Damn!_ she thought with impotent fury as she slowly sunk back into the darkness. _Ryuubuki poison! They got me again!_

She was determined, however, not to let the aliens get away this time. If she was going down – and it seemed that she was indeed going that way – they would have to go down as well. And she was going to make sure of that.

With that thought in mind, she fought the darkness, climbing her way back to where she could see the light. She might not be able to fight Ryuuki and win, with the venom that was circulating in her body through her blood and with his control over her through the _Guuuuq_, but she knew she would be able to make him stay for a few more moments. _A few more moments,_ Ten-Thirteen told herself with much determination, _and this will all be over._

_-**x**-_

_"Goten, get out of there, quick!"_

The demi-saiyajin reached into the pocket of his trousers to pull out a coin-sized communicator as he tore through the corridors of the burning spacecraft. Activating it, he said, "I'm coming!" with a shout, as he was sure his voice would be drowned amidst the defiant hum of the vessel's engines and the deafening cackle of the metal-eating flames.

His heart pounded heavily as hurried to where their own ship was docked, for he knew that there wasn't much time left for anyone in the vessel, much more for themselves. Not only were they supposed to leave the _Dragonwing_ before it would explode into pieces, they were supposed to get away far enough when that time would come.

He came to a halt, however, as soon as he saw the thin river of blood that trickled out the gap between the floor and the metal door. After a few precious heartbeats of debating whether he should check it out or not, he put his safety aside and decided to check out whatever it was. "Trunks," he called out through his communicating device, "if I don't make it there in three minutes, _leave_. All right?"

And then, he shut off the communicator, not even waiting for his friend's response.

_Here goes nothing,_ he thought to himself, and taking a deep breath, he kicked the metal door open. It didn't take even a second for him to realize that he was in for a lot of trouble. The sight of an unconscious Kasumi, with a sinister-looking alien with a horrid tail and shiny claws on top of her, was enough to make the demi-saiyajin drop into a fighting stance.

Noticing that someone had decided to join in, Ryuuki rose, his eccentrically-shaped eyes fixed intently on the intruder. From a few good meters away, Goten could see the young woman's blood staining the alien's iron claws at a disturbing intensity – in fact it was disturbing enough to make him flinch uncomfortably. And the sight, for some reason, moved him drastically. Made anger burn inside of him like he had never felt before.

But he wondered why. The assassin was, after all, their enemy – and yet here he was feeling sorry for her. Feeling mad for what the alien had done to her. He knew he was simply a good-hearted young man, although he, too, knew that there was something else behind the feelings he couldn't fight.

"What have you done?" he breathed in a surprisingly calm tone, despite the fact that he was quivering in anger.

"It is none of youurr buusiness, intrruuderr," the Ryuujin snapped, holding up one of his hands to expose his bloodstained claws, as if threatening the demi-saiyajin that he would do the same if the other would do something drastic. "Now get ouut of my way beforre I strrike youu down like what I did to herr. I tell youu, youu will fall exactly like this pest did."

Their eyes met for a short while; Ryuuki's menacing orbs clashing against Goten's firm ones. Then, the demi-saiyajin stood up straight, letting his battle stance fall away, but not the stability of his posture. A challenging gleam shone through his raven eyes. "You want to move me? Come on and move me."

Those words hit the alien with much intimidation, and in response, he dove towards Goten, his claws and tail ready to dig themselves into the demi-saiyajin's flesh and dish ample damage. But he wasn't fast enough to catch the other warrior. His built-in weapons slowed him down considerably, enabling the quicker, more agile fighter to get out of the way of his attack in the blink of an eye.

But if there was a field the Ryuujin Commander excelled above all the other warriors, it was in the domain of flexibility. When the demi-saiyajin reappeared behind him, he swished his tail towards the young man's direction – and caught by surprise at the sudden move, Goten wasn't able to pull away in time. He stumbled back, clutching his chest, where the sharp tip of the alien's tail brushed against.

A ridiculing smile appeared on the other's unfamiliar features. "I warrned youu, intrruuderr," he sneered, his erratic-looking eyes twinkling mischievously. "Buut that is juust the beginning. Morre pain will come into the last few moments of youurr life. Worrrry not, howeverr; the pain will not last long. Death, afterr all, will suurrely follow."

"I highly doubt that."

Ryuuki froze – _literally_ – at those words, for they did not come from the warrior he was facing; they came from the one who he had supposedly defeated. "I-Impossible," he stuttered as he felt movement from behind him, which was Kasumi pushing herself up and clutching one of her bleeding shoulders to support herself. "H-How couuld youu-"

Despite the discomfort she was feeling due to all the injuries she acquired in their battle and the poison that was taking a body trip through her bloodstream, her face remained firm, cold and unsympathetic, even if she was wobbling at where she stood. "Ever heard of _immunity_, Commander? I believe that's what it's called." She glanced at the young man who had arrived to aid her, and knowing that he was her only means of leaving the ship alive, she decided to join in the ride, even if she would have to do the pride-wounding task of asking his assistance.

The demi-saiyajin quickly understood the look she was projecting, even though she did not say a single word. Turning his attention back to their adversary and slipping back into a fighting stance, he announced, "And _this_, Commander, is what you call _teamwork_," before he jumped back into action.

As if reading each other's minds, they worked in remarkable synchronization. Focusing on nothing else but the alien invader, Kasumi flung the Ryuujin away from her and towards one of the ship's windows, and as soon as she did so, Goten reappeared a useful distance away from the other warrior and hurled a ki-blast at his direction. That gust of ki surely served its purpose; it cut Ryuuki's horrid-looking tail off.

The young man then launched another blast from where he was hovering, hitting the window and shattering it completely. The cloak of vacuum that enveloped the _Dragonwing_ then began its own attack, pulling whatever it could get its hold on towards its dark, murky center. And nearest to the window, where the assault was originating, was the unfortunate alien Commander, Ryuuki.

By then, the demi-saiyajin was beside the assassin, protecting her from being dragged off into the dead realm of nothingness. However, she could not help but rebuke him for what he thought of doing. "Yes, _this_ is what you call teamwork," she muttered under her breath, not letting the opportunity of intimidating others slip from her grasp. Her sapphire eyes narrowing considerably, she added with a frown, "I could've done better!"

"If you weren't injured, yes," Goten replied coolly, before he lifted her into his strong arms, careful not to hurt her any more than she already was. He then began to fight his way through the force that seemed to be pulling them out of the starfighter, determined to get back to where his friend was before the dreaded explosion would take place. "We gotta get out of here..."

"Allow me," was Kasumi's simple offer, putting two fingers to her forehead. The demi-saiyajin interrupted her from what she was about to do, but she insisted that she would still be able to do it despite her condition. Knowing that they only had a few precious seconds left, he gave in without arguing any further, and they teleported off, back into the Chikyuujin spacecraft _Kismet _that was about to leave the docking bay of the _Dragonwing_.

Upon arriving in the spacecraft, the demi-saiyajin elbowed the button that slammed the metal door shut, laid the young woman in the most comfortable place he could find, and urged the ship's pilot to take off as he rushed to the cockpit, taking his place in the co-pilot's seat. "Sorry I was late; I had to save someone," he apologized before he activated the rest of the controls.

Trunks did not take his eyes off the viewscreen, despite his friend's words that he was delayed because of his heroics. "Full throttle, Goten," the older demi-saiyajin commanded, his hands going from one controlling device to the other. "We gotta get out of here on the double, or else we're going to be cosmic dust."

A few heart-stopping seconds later, the _Dragonwing_ exploded like a gigantic star.

-**x**-

Kasumi lay half-awake on one of the ship's bunks as the explosion rocked the _Kismet_ back and forth like a metal object vibrating irregularly, not believing what she had just heard. She wanted to think that she did not hear the name right, but she knew with her keen sense of hearing she could not have been mistaken.

The man who saved her life was the man she wanted to kill.

_Goten Son._

Anger then surged inside of her at that realization, anger that was actually directed towards herself. She was mad because she was stupid enough to enlist his help. She was mad because there was no other way to defeat Ryuuki at that time. She was mad because she knew that she could not defeat the Ryuujins alone, no matter how much she'd try. The _Guuuuq_ would always be in the way.

But with two fighters and an oracle by her side, things would change to her advantage. She would be able to crush them for good. She would be able to make them pay for everything they did to her. But that gave her another reason to be mad, because she would have to ask the help of her other target's pesky friends to attain that. In fact, she had the feeling she would have to _beg_ them to gain their faith in her.

Most of all, she was mad because her revenge for her Master's death would have to wait – and a long time, at that. She needed Goten Son, no matter how much she despised him. Thus, she could not kill him until the Ryuujins would be annihilated, and it would take more than a few hours to obliterate a race of their caliber.

She flinched as the older of the two demi-saiyajins burst into a shout of disbelief. "You _what?!_" Trunks' voice boomed from the cockpit, and it was hard to tell how he really felt from the way he spoke. The assassin, however, was sure that there was anger in him. "Goten, are you crazy?! You know that she's the woman who wanted to kill me – and you know that she almost did! Once she recovers, there's no telling what she's going to do!"

A smile appeared on the young woman's pale features at those words, amused at the reaction of the former CEO of Capsule Corporation. But a short while after, the smile she was wearing faded into a contemplative expression as she slipped back into her thoughts. Why _did_ Goten save her? She was sure it wasn't her sex appeal, despite the fact that it had done wonders for her numerous times.

_Why, indeed?_

"Well, she _did_ save my life," Goten told his purple-haired friend in an offhand fashion, as if he was your everyday knight in shining armor, and that he had been saving damsels in distress all of his life. His voice then took a proud tone, a grin breaking through his solemn features. "You should have seen us when we battled Ryuuki, Trunks. You should have seen _her_. She's a pretty good person to have at your side."

"Except when she wants to slide a knife or thrust a ki-sword through it," the other demi-saiyajin pointed out with a scowl. A short session of silence followed, then a heavy sigh from the pilot of the Chikyuujin starfighter. "Face it, Goten. We're doomed."


	24. Exalted Order

**Author's Note:** Sorry to keep you waiting, guys, but I'm finally back! I'm really sorry but I've been busy with schoolwork as well as our theatre group activities, like the musical play we had just last February. Anyway, I haven't written anything since December, so this chapter may seem a bit weird, style and all. Nonetheless, I hope you'll like it… somehow.

I would like to dedicate this chapter to **Miss Lous**. It's nothing special, but I just wanna thank you for helping me find my fluffy plot bunny of doom and conquer Darth Writer's Block. Like you always do. -hugs-

* * *

**Act Two, Chapter Eleven  
**_The Secrets of the Exalted Order of the Cosmos! Kasumi's Startling Revelation!_

* * *

Kasumi regained consciousness only to find herself in what humans called a hospital.

Staring at the white-hued ceiling that was nowhere near attractive or mesmerizing, she wondered for a brief moment how she ended up in such a place, lying amidst sheets of white cloth and with things attached to her body at random points. However, it didn't take long for her to remember that she had barged into Ryuuki's flagship, the _Dragonwing_, to exalt revenge on the Ryuujin fleet that struck her down that night her master died, and everything else that followed from the said feat. That she fought against Ryuuki but injured herself severely in the process. That she ended up being rescued by the man she so wanted to kill, the warrior who bore the cursed name of Goten Son. That she, in the brats' ship _Kismet_, had fainted due to excessive loss of blood, and would've been dead if Briefs-Vegeta had wished it so.

She loathed the fact that while she was powerful enough to destroy an entire armada of Ryuujins, she was a slave of the _Guuuuq_, a mysterious seed that had been implanted in her. She could never get close enough to any of the Overlords, let alone Ryuurai, who ranked the highest of them all. While Ryuurai loved to play around with her, he could always choose to play dirty and exert influence on the _Guuuuq_, and thus, make her unable to move a muscle as he would torture her with his power.

And to think they were once allies. That part infuriated her the most. She had served Hyouko and the Exalted Order faithfully, but the Supreme Overlord had been planning her torture and death from the very beginning. Ryuurai and his feet-kissing alien warriors had only been using her for their plans of universal domination, and that she could not accept. It wounded her pride.

Thus, killing Son would have to wait. She had to deal with Ryuurai first.

Having made up her mind to vanquish the tailed freaks once and for all, she sat up to remove the devices that had been attached to her. She felt pain shoot through her back, but she was already used to such a sensation, so she simply ignored it. As she was about to start plucking off the tubes and all the other things that had been stuck to her body, she stopped short, realizing for the first time that she was being watched. Unable to sense ki – her fatal flaw in the deadly game of martial arts – she failed to tell that a certain purple-haired demi-saiyajin was sitting on a chair near the door of the room she was confined in, with his arms crossed over his chest in his usual arrogant fashion.

Knowing that he had captured her attention, Briefs-Vegeta taunted as he regarded the female warrior with his ice-blue eyes, "You're lucky it was Goten who found you, Kasumi. If I had been the one to stumble into your battle with Ryuuki, I _so_ would've loved to watch him kill you. And if needed, I would've lent him a hand in tearing you apart."

She ignored the jest and proceeded to cleaning herself from the technological gadgets that had been affixed on her. But not because she did not want to retaliate. She had come to realize that, powerful as she was, she couldn't defeat the populace of Ryuusei on her own, and thus she would need the assistance of the saiyajin brat, his psychic girlfriend and the man she wanted to kill, even if she detested the idea with all of her heart. She and the three wannabe heroes of Chikyuu had a common enemy, and while the people she would have to work with would surely irritate her to the core, with their ideals and philosophies and lack of discipline, they had strengths and abilities she could only dream of.

Convincing them to join forces with her, however, would be a most difficult task. She had been their heartless foe from the beginning. In their first encounter, she had almost succeeded in extinguishing Briefs-Vegeta from the face of the planet, and while she no longer had the obligation to dispose of the brat, she was certain that they thought she was still at it. Her relationship with Kaname had never been smooth, either. She had worked alongside the girl's father in spreading his cruel and violent ways, and at one point, was even rumored to become her stepmother. Definitely not a lovely notion.

She would have to play nice.

"Then why didn't you kill me?" she asked in challenging tone as she finished her task, averting her gaze to the demi-saiyajin. Yes, they needed her. She knew as much, from the look in the other fighter's eyes. And, that, she thought, would be a very good reason for her to use in convincing them to let her fight by their side.

Briefs-Vegeta's response was one she didn't expect, however. "Believe me, I really wanted to. But I trust Goten, and even though I don't understand what made him save someone like you from the clutches of death in the first place, I choose to trust in his judgment." He rose from his seat, not taking his eyes off her. "That doesn't mean, however, that I trust you. In fact, I'm expecting you to prove me wrong in trusting my friend's decision."

She was unable to say anything in reply. What, truly, was up with Son? She wanted to believe that the reason why he saved her was because he wanted to see her suffer, having lost a person she cared for deeply – but somehow it didn't seem right. It couldn't have been pity either. Pity was one of the emotions she could never draw from anyone. Contempt, perhaps, and all the other feelings that lay in its continuum. Passion and desire, even. But pity?

Fortunately for her, it was at that moment when the two other members of their infamous trio slid into her room, and thus she was saved from the burden of having to think of a response. Kaname, the only other female in the group aside from her, was startled to find that the assassin was already to leave the establishment even without the doctor's consent, having pried the medical gadgets off her. But if she was unable to voice out her thoughts, Son was quick to.

"You shouldn't do that," he chided, earning a fierce glare from her. Smiling sheepishly and rubbing the back of his head, he backed up against the wall. His reproach was not intended to be offensive in any sort; however, she didn't seem to take it very well, and he knew it was better to just keep quiet and stay out of her zone of anger.

"How long have I been here?"

"Five days."

Her eyes flew wide open in shock. "_Five days_!"

Briefs-Vegeta nodded, amused at the look of disbelief on the assassin's pale features. He knew it would be a hard blow to her ego for her to discover that she had been out cold for nearly a week, and he was also well aware that it was another opportunity for him to taunt her a little more. "You're not all-powerful, you know. You lost too much blood, and overfatigue had taken its toll on your body. You were even showing signs of extreme dehydration–" He trailed off as the female fighter got to her feet and proceeded to leaving the room; quickly, he blocked her path of exit, stepping in front of the door. "Where do you think you're going?"

"To kill Ryuurai." Even she was surprised by how fierce her tone had become.

Seeing their confused but interested expressions, she smiled inwardly at her small victory. If she would be able to pull her act off successfully, she wouldn't have to convince them to let her join their cause, they would be asking her to accompany them in their quest to eliminate the Supreme Overlord.

"On the night Master Hyouko died," she paused to swallow the painful lump that had suddenly appeared in her throat, careful not to look at Son's way, "I was on my way to Elysia to attend a meeting in which Ryuurai called for, in place of my master, who was set to attend the World Unification Conference. However, those I believed to be my allies shot me down, and they dragged me back to their homeplanet, Ryuusei. There, they performed tests on me, tortured me… but eventually I managed to escape. As I was fleeing Ryuusei in a stolen starfighter, I intercepted two messages. One of them was a confirmation that Ryuuki was going to attack this planet by midnight and claim it for the Exalted Order."

"Exalted Order?"

Kasumi nodded. "The _'Exalted Order of the Cosmos'_. It's mainly a faction of Ryuujins, but there are also other species, those who have pledged allegiance to Ryuurai, who is the _'Supreme Overlord'_." It was too late when she realized that she had given an introduction that required further elaboration. Left without a choice – and thinking that it would be a good way to gain the trio's trust – she went on. "He has the support of seven head cronies, those called _'Overlords'_, as well as the entire Ryuujin populace and the people of those planet leaders who decided to work alongside him. Their goal is conquest on a universal scale, and they've been at it for many years now. Ryuujins live long, you see, and so Ryuurai has been taking his time in taking over the universe. And he has a distinct style of doing so, too. He silently wrecks havoc in the background with his Overlords while the big-shot non-Ryuujin tyrants make all the noise in the front lines."

It was strange, but somehow Briefs-Vegeta managed to spot the connection between everything that had happened to the planet he had grown up in and loved, in the context of the Z-Senshi's history, and the so-called Exalted Order. "Freeza was one of those _'big-shot tyrants'_, wasn't he? And I wouldn't be surprised if Dr. Gero and the Red Ribbon Army were actually part of that Exalted Order."

Again, the assassin nodded, and she allowed her gaze to linger on the purple-haired fighter for a few more moments. He caught up fast. "Freeza was given the autonomy he desired, yet even with such independence and freedom he remained under Ryuurai's rule. And yes, the Red Ribbon Army and Dr. Gero also belonged of the Order, although indirectly. The Red Ribbon Army worked for Master Hyouko's predecessor as the mastermind of Project Chikyuu, and they weren't aware that they were being put to use for a much greater cause. Dr. Gero, however…"

She hesitated. Would she dare invoke Briefs-Vegeta's wrath? She knew that talking about Dr. Gero would later lead to the androids, the mechanical beings the demi-saiyajin so hated. Not that she was worried about being the object of his fury; she was already aware, even from the first time they battled, that he was no match for her. What she was concerned about was the result of her confession about the secrets of the Exalted Order, in which she hoped she wouldn't have to worry about convincing them to trust her. Sending the purple-haired warrior in a raving fit would make the formation of their alliance impossible for her.

But he pressed on, his cobalt-colored eyes narrowing significantly. "What about Dr. Gero?"

_Well, if bad goes to worse, I'll just have to 'gain' their trust some other way. It shouldn't be too hard,_ she thought silently, before she reverted her gaze to her still-interested audience, and resumed speaking. "Dr. Gero worked for the first commander of Project Chikyuu as well. However, his creation of the androids was directly under Master Hyouko's jurisdiction."

Kaname gasped, horrified. "No…"

They were all unable to believe what they had heard, that the assassin could tell. And as she predicted, Briefs-Vegeta was enraged, although he was doing his best to suppress the anger and hatred that erupted from the depths of his heart all of a sudden. Both his hands were clamped into fists, and he was shaking. She knew what he was thinking: Hyouko Kaname was not only responsible for making his life after the androids miserable; he was the reason why he and everyone else who suffered under the androids' reign of terror were miserable in the first place. It was unforgivable.

Son, on the other hand, was also shaken by the revelation, but he didn't seem to be quite as affected as the other two. She wondered why. Did he actually have a good time while the androids wrecked havoc? Or was he just a master of his emotions, able to hide the pain and the anger well?

"That Ryuurai. All this is _his_ doing," Briefs-Vegeta whispered, seething.

Kasumi stared at him with surprised orbs of sapphire blue, taken aback by his pronouncement. She had thought wrong about the brat, as much as she believed she knew him. She had expected him to blame it on Hyouko, and her as well, as she was his second-in-command during his reign as Project Chikyuu's commander. And yet the demi-saiyajin wasn't doing such a thing. Though they were definitely part of circle of characters he so loathed, he chose to direct his anger and hatred to the alien warlord who had been enjoying himself in his quest for universal domination instead. Just as she had.

Two pairs of blue eyes with almost the same shade met, and as they stared into each others' eyes, looking beyond the externalities and the events that have transpired between them, they silently forged a deal. They would work together to bring the alien tyrant down, whether they liked each other or not. The fact that they shared the same degree of anger and hatred toward Ryuurai was enough to bridge the gap. Then, the male warrior asked, "So what was that other message you mentioned earlier? Did that give you a lead as to where Ryuurai could be now?"

"Not just a lead, but it pinpointed his exact location. The transmission called for the Overlords and their second-in-commands; Ryuurai wished to meet them at the planet of Kuzure'odai _in a week._"

No wonder she was hasty. "We only have two days."

"_We_!" Kaname interrupted in a hysterical tone as she turned to look at her purple-haired friend incredulously. Once again, she couldn't believe what she was hearing, or what she was seeing. There must be a misunderstanding, or something he had forgotten. "Are you out of your mind! She tried to _kill_ you, Trunks! You'll just be giving her another opportunity to! And we don't know where her loyalties truly lie! You can't trust her!"

"I don't. And I don't like her either. She knows that much."

"And you don't have a choice," Kasumi stated a-matter-of-factly, as if it wasn't obvious. Inside, she was cheering. She had done it. And with her being the most knowledgeable about the Exalted Order, she would definitely be the one who would be bossing them around. After all, they would have to acknowledge her superiority. However, she had an act to continue playing at. To conclude it with a flourish, she sighed. "Well, neither do I."

He reverted his gaze to the young woman who stood in front of him, allowing himself to eye her critically before he would make his formal statement of alliance. She was an assassin, yes, but an honorable one at that. He hated to admit that she had a positive trait despite her apparent malevolence and monstrosity in the battlefield, but it was true. "Let's put aside our differences for now," he said, holding out his hand. "Let's kill each other later."

She took his hand and shook it, not even flinching at how firm he had executed the handshake. Her deep blue eyes regarded him in warning. "Just pray, Briefs-Vegeta," she advised, grinning in her cruel, twisted way, "that I don't forget."


End file.
